#EVEN IF IT WAS MORE NEUTRAL OR NOT ENTIRELY NEGATIVE

[gem-de-lune]

Daily Vibe Check 11/9

It really really paid off to give the other members a breather from vibe checks. They were very transparent and open today compared to usual!

As i mentioned before, the vibe checks for individual members will be briefer than usual unless it's something significant.

Enjoy!

Seunghan

Ace of Chalices

He's feeling generally well. There is a lot of emotional creative energy being fulfilled after a time of things being much more dry. In other words, he is feeling emotionally fulfilled and refreshed.

Eunseok

The Chariot

He is feeling generally well. Maybe very collaborative, healthy, and ambitious. This is that 7 card again which could indicate a certain sentiment of comradery making him feel this way. He may be working out lately or just very active.

Sohee

9 of Wands

He is feeling generally well. He is also feeling ambitious and active. Maybe in a more laid back way though. He is still really focused on his taks at the moment but putting pieces in place for the future he wishes to protect. So in general, he is just working and staying chill.

Shotaro

5 of Chalices

So generally he is feeling immature today? That's the vibe. I pulled another card for myself to clarify this and pulled the Devil. There are more layers to that I will discuss later. But generally, Taro seems to be stuck in a more negative mindset right now. I think he is very suseptible to this which is why a lot of times he will come off as unserious or sarcastic- or fall off the face of the earth to decompress and return to normal. Right now, I think he has shut down physically, emotionally, maybe even mentally due to his anxieties. However with this card it is clear it is a bit of an overreaction due to his impatience and uncertainties he is annoyed over. He may be very lazy and not willing to put in a lot of effort right now.

Anton

The Devil

Yup this is the extra layer we are adding. The fact that I have pulled this for him tells me one of two things. Either A- they duked it out, or B- Anton is the one mainly handling or wmpathizing with Taro right now. He may feel a bit suffocated by these feelings but he fully understands and validates Taro. Generally, he is feeling OK, but more so influenced by the bad feelings of Shotaro and trying to not sink into the same realm of negativity. I pulled the Empress after this so they will be fine in the end. Just a little phase here.

Wonbin

6 of Wands

He is generally feeling good. He may be starting a routine of sorts. He feels good about things in terms of the direction they are heading in, so he is putting a lot of physical effort in. He may be doing a lot of creative physical activities like dancing lately.

Sungchan

King of Swords

He is feeling generally well but closer to neutral. There are no super strong emotions. More than that, he is likely feeling very communicative and collaborative. He is focused on some sort of results or rather he wants or DEMANDS to have some results to a certain standard for him to be satisfied at the moment. He is more focused on this than anything.

How is SM feelings about bringing Seunghan Back?

Strength + 10 of Pentacles

Very good omen. The 10 of pentacles is about permanence. If they are feeling this way about the matter then they may be considering it seriously at the very least. But personally I believe they have already made a decision of sorts. With the Strength card as well this suggests that the conclusion will be reached victoriously after a lot of enduring and perseverance.

Bottom of my deck:

3 of Wands

I am going to start reading the bottom of the deck card so we can read the general energy surrounding the entire situation. Currently it is the 3 of Wands. This is about confidence and planning to me. In regards to this situation, and this is something I wanted to put in ending notes too: EVERYONE is working together to make sure that bringing Seunghan back is not only a reality, but a safe and loving reality for him. Mostly everyone is moving forwards with this sentiment, but being patient as we work is also extrmely important.

Final Notes:

For remaining notes, I will be sharing a reply to an ask post on my Tumblr, which I think sums up a lot of what we need to be doing. If you haven't seen it already, read it here: 🩵

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 57 Cope Posting

Not like this, dear void... not like this. The blessing/curse of Kagurabachi chapters ending in 7 being absolute banger cliffhangers continues and there is not enough copium in the world to get me through to next week. This entry is an absolute mess...

Let's start with practicing on the editor's comments again. Sorry if the colours are hard to read on brighter backgrounds, I live in Dark Mode as much as possible.

First page: ハクリが飛宗の転送に成功! そして- [Hakuri ga Tobimune no tensou ni seikou! Soshite-, Hakuri successfully transfers Tobimune! And then-] Last page: 座村, 漆羽… 事態は混沌へ… [Samura, Uruha... jitai ha konton he..., Samura, Uruha... the situation turns chaotic...] noting that the word used for "situation", jitai (事態), specifically has negative connotations (as opposed to 状況 [joukyou], which is neutral).

These comments are rarely more than fluff just to give the editors some presence in the work itself, so I don't take them as definite indicators of anything going on in the plot. But man. Man. "Bad situation" seems to be putting it lightly. I was ready to take you off the list of possible traitors, Samura! I was seriously going to do it! Whyyyyyyyyyyy

Chihiro and the Pink Menace

Fine, first up... school?

How does our cast stack up to the average student after getting home schooled in murder and cool action poses?

It was obvious to everyone that this arc would involve Chihiro learning about the unpleasant sides of his dad's legacy. So this is just a "hey don't forget" moment for us that also highlights how far removed Hiruhiko and Chihiro are from regular society. Those two (and Hakuri) should be in their last year of high school, complaining about homework or stressing about their future college/job plans right now instead of fighting to the death. Poor guys.

I don't want to presume too much about Hokazono-sensei's views, but I really like directly acknowledging that winners write history and so their wartime cruelty is often downplayed or re-framed as heroism. These kids and even Chihiro only know the revised version of what happened, not the truth of the matter.

Home schooled Chihiro confirmed! Kinda!

Anyway, some more John Plan Reveal. He wants Chihiro to learn the truth about his father's legacy and the impact it's had- that's why he hasn't been "harvested" yet. This implies that there's some terrible thing that could upend Chihiro's entire worldview to be learned. But we kind of already knew that based on everything I just said.

I hope this isn't a flag for John trying to convince Chihiro to join him. There are awful secrets that are going to be unearthed about Kunishige and the Kamunabi this arc for sure, but it's kind of a waste of our time to do the "oooh it was worse than you thought why don't you join us to set things right" rigamarole.

Obviously the Hishaku have some compelling reasons to do all this if they can get someone as loath to kill as Samura on their side to murk his war buddies. It's just never gonna convince Chihiro so I hope we don't get a moralizing yapfest to accompany John's outstretched hand. I trust the writing though! So far it's been almost nothing but excellence so... chill, me. Just wait and see.

I think that no matter what happens Chihiro will continue to forge his own path with allies who care for him at his side. He won't choose the government's path, or the Hishaku's, or even his dad's- he'll create something new. Standard stuff for a shounen series but I never get tired of seeing it!

Before moving on to the coping session, there's something neat in this scene that I want to ramble about:

Local yapper yaps while the guy listening to him literally overthinks

I'll use the JP version if I have to, but I like how Chihiro's inner monologue deliberately overruns Hiruhiko's speech bubble to show that he's not paying full attention while his thoughts are in overdrive. He's still partially listening but he's not quite as composed as he appears to be on the outside, which is confirmed by the close-up zoom into his stressed look with the sweat drops. Yet when we zoom out, he seems a bit more put-together like usual. He's still exhausted from yesterday, man! Really should have rested up... at least the author acknowledges it. (Forced bed rest soon? Hopefully?)

This is how Hiruhiko was able to get the drop on Chihiro. Chihiro's got a lot on his mind and he has trouble focusing, just like Uruha chided him for on the train. His resolve is unshaken but he's still prone to wavering in the moment as he tries to process things. He even misses the fist time Samura's name was mentioned! Clearly Chihiro needs Hakuri or Uruha or someone there to yell encouragement at the right time to stop him from getting lost in his own head. But he's got a lot to think about and work through right now, so it's understandable why he's so stressed out.

Poor Chihiro. He's coming to the conclusions that we, the readers privileged with having weeks IRL to ponder new information, came to long ago. The Master is not treated like a hero but a prisoner, and probably for very, very good reasons. Ones good enough to convince Samura to make a deal with the devil.

What Actually Happened?!

Not all the blades have themes from nature, it seems. Geisha offered many different types of entertainment to guests, from performing music to conversation to serving sake. So now we have the idea behind the name [Swaying Sake]!

First up to delay just a little longer: Kumeyuri power reveal! Seems to be based in some kind of performing arts aesthetic with the geisha that were conjured. Fitting for the guy who wears kabuki eye make-up right? ...And for the next bearer, who interrupted a kabuki performance to pick it up in a theater... I see you and your foreshadowing, Hokazono-sensei.

Fine. I'll admit it. The ending of the chapter makes it crystal clear that Hiruhiko is the new bearer contracted to Kumeyuri by having his origami butterflies come undone as he grasps the hilt in his teeth. Can't even hope it's another case of someone "borrowing" power like Kyora did with the Shinuchi of the bunch.

Magatsumi's the only blade that can be used by someone not contracted to it, hence the extra protections it needed.

So that means... yeah. Uruha's gone. Just like that.

There will be thousands of theories about what exactly happened to Uruha, why Samura made a deal with John, what the details of that deal were- we'll get the truth soon. I'm most interested in the reasoning that ties into Samura's sincere beliefs of killing being an evil act.

The burden of death weighs so heavily on him that he blinded himself in penance. But he's willing to let his own apprentice die -probably even kill him himself!- because of... what? What was so horrible about fighting with the Master and Kunishige's weapons for the good of the nation? What compelled him to help the Hishaku kill the remaining bearers and upend the peace they earned?!

Hey, Samura. Is it really so bad to be called a war hero while being treated like a prisoner in a comfortable government-provided jail facility? Is it so horrible that "alternative facts" pass for real history to bury whatever horrors you witnessed and possibly perpetrated? Is it truly awful to have people willing to die for you despite all the grave sins you've committed? That they're likely completely unaware of thanks to government propaganda and being too young to have witnessed the truth?

...I need those Seitei War flashbacks pronto.

*----------------------------------------------------------------------------*

Wait a minute. Jail? Even the friggin' onsen?

Yup! The Master's the only one being treated like a dangerous criminal outright, but the 慚箱 [sanso] are just dressed up prisons for the Bearers. The Kamunabi ain't even subtle about it.

慚 [san] - to feel shame 箱 [sou] - box

The government put these guys in specially-constructed (or repurposed) buildings officially referred to as "shame boxes" and told them they couldn't leave. Even the name given to one of them is a bit much! 国獄温泉 [Kokugoku Onsen] translates to:

国 [koku]- country/state/national government 獄 [goku]- jail/prison 温泉 [onsen] - hot spring

Gee, I wonder if Uruha was having a good time at State Prison Hot Springs?

That said, while there may well be some bitterness between the Bearers and the Kamunabi, it's not the main motivating factor for Samura. His is definitely rooted in how they all acted during the war and how guilty he feels now that they're promoted as heroes.

*----------------------------------------------------------------------------*

It looks like Chihiro's being summoned by Hakuri in the very last panel so we might get some perspective on Samura's reasoning next week. Probably no clear answers right away, but at least enough to see if he really was the one who killed Uruha and a bit of insight into why. And to see if Uruha's dead at all... I mean, if we don't see a body... let me be delusional, okay?!

I'm just not able to go all-in on believing Uruha's dead. But it's not because I don't think he actually is... it just doesn't feel real after spending weeks preparing to let go of Samura. Not to mention the tried-and-true tactic of baiting out strong emotions with implied character deaths.

Normally I don't take death foreshadowing like this too seriously in shounen series. I just wait to see if the author is faking me out or not before getting stressed (unless it's Hakuri, in which case I stress responsibly). But Kagurabachi is a series that lured the MC with a child's severed leg and showed two suicide attempts on-screen, one of which was horrifically successful- right in front of someone who was already traumatized too. Hell we lost most of the anti-Kuregumo squad without much fanfare back in the Sojo arc! Only actually showing a child being tortured on-screen is too much, apparently. This series is dark as hell when the author wants it to be and Uruha's death is probably another one of those times.

There's hope in me that Uruha can still come out of this alive just because I like him so much, but I want the author to follow through on his death when it's presented as such an ominously real scenario. All signs point to Uruha being a goner, so don't make it look iron-clad then say "nah" the next chapter with some technicality that we couldn't have known about until the reveal. I would rather lose Uruha in an unexpectedly painful way than be faked out just to get the reaction out of me, y'know? Don't toy with me. Commit to crushing my heart, dammit.

But, God... oh man. I fell for the bait and got stupidly attached to a Bearer in the arc named after killing them. I even knew bad times were coming because of all the levity at the start of the arc but still went on hoping nothing would happen so soon. Laugh at me, I deserve it. I probably helped this manifest by mentioning how awful it would be if Chihiro found out a Bearer died because Hiruhiko was able to contract with one of the blades. Saying "I crave the angst that will come from this situation with every fiber of my being" in a post tag was overkill. It's just:

Author: names the arc after assassinating the bearers

Reader: gets attached anyway

Author: assassinates a bearer

Reader: ╚(•⌂•)╝

Coping Theory

May as well put my two cents in on how it could have gone down while I'm here...

I wonder if he planned to die in the raid instead so it looked like an unavoidable accident, sparing everyone else from the carnage.

This exact sequence- the Makizumi talking about honor in death for saving Samura, and Uruha's words that the Bearer's lives need to be valued above others'- is what solidifies Samura's resolve. This man is filled to the brim with guilt and self-loathing (much like another swordsman we know). He cannot save himself, but... perhaps he can take some equally bad sinners down with him for the greater good. He's not only a mirror for Hakuri, but Chihiro as well- one's resolve to save no matter the cost to one's self, and one's resolve to go to hell for what they believe is right. That's how I'm reading this until we get his own insight on the matter, at least.

It's not a stretch to infer that Samura thinks the Bearers are better off dead in large part due to the powers they command and things that were done during the war. That's still a huge mystery to be unraveled but I mean:

Seeing the bare minimum of Magatsumi in action really drives home how horrific these "heroes" could seem out on the battle field doesn't it? No wonder the clone sorcerer described the Seitei war as "hell on earth". But the public has no knowledge of this. They only got the sanitized version fit for PR purposes and feel-good stories.

The Hishaku seem to be intent on dismantling this image. Perhaps that's how they got Samura on their side? Not sure how the current Bearers dying and giving the Hishaku access to that dreadful power is better than the status quo, but that's something that will become clear with more reveals about the ideology driving the group. Maybe Samura doesn't care so much about the rest of the world and just wants to do what's best for the truth that's been buried under nearly two decade's worth of secrecy.

As to what happened with Uruha... two things come to mind. One I think is more likely, and one I want to cling to until it's ripped away as I sob and beg for just one little bit of comfort.

Most likely, I think Samura and Uruha had an exchange about ideals and the value of their lives. Samura overpowered Uruha per the plan as the "trump card" and that was that.

In delulu land, I want Samura to have been double-crossed. As in he made a deal on the condition that the lives of the people he cared about would be spared, but of course Uruha couldn't be allowed to live. So the Hishaku ensured that he'd die there no matter what. It's a bunk theory since Mr. Hatshaku left once the situation turned against him... maybe incorporate some of the datenseki mind control stuff in there somehow? I don't know. Just let me have this until canon proves otherwise.

Hakuri and Chihiro, Though?! And Miscellaneous Questions

(Ch. 46) I'm not going to be okay for a while and neither are they.

Best boys are really gonna go through it no matter what Chihiro is summoned back to. They'll be in a rough way... not only did they lose Uruha and hand Kumeyuri to Hiruhiko, but Samura betrayed them all... oof. So much for proving themselves to the Kamunabi. They're going to get an earful and be set back in the "negotiations" big time.

No doubt Chihiro will put this burden on his shoulders too, even if no one could have predicted Samura's defection to the enemy. It's his dad's legacy that's causing all this strife right now. He'll be more motivated than ever to unravel the war's true history and I'll be right there with him hoping he doesn't push himself too hard or harshly. The son shouldn't be responsible for the sins his father committed before he was even born. But that's just like, my opinion, man.

Meanwhile...

"I'm still good for it," wheezes the guy with blood gushing out of his nose at an alarming rate.

Hakuri will probably blame himself too. Depending on how things shake out, it could be for anything from accidentally arming a traitor to seeing someone die in front of him again. There's a good chance he'll (temporarily) lose the thing that makes him useful too, so that'll be an extra layer of angst for him to deal with. What value does a broken tool that couldn't fulfill it's one purpose have?

I also wonder what prompted Hakuri to summon Chihiro away from Hiruhiko. He's kind of in rough shape to do it just 'cause he misses his (boy)friend. They have cell phones to communicate with so it seems a bit abrupt to summon him back without checking first. Hakuri's also not the type to impose on someone to protect him. Nor is he the type to drop Chihiro into the middle of a life-or-death situation without a sense of mutual understanding first. So there had to be some kind of pressing need. The timeline of events means he's summoning Chihiro right after Uruha was killed, so... more soulmate stuff maybe? Their souls call out to each other and resonate when they're in distress, after all (it's canon baybeeeeee). They're in perfect harmony and all that. Sorry for the shipping nonsense I just need any bit of fluff I can get right now.

So many questions that might not get answered...

What about the Makizumi? Will they defect to serve Samura? Or will they try to help get Hakuri to safety with the Kamunabi? Samura doesn't want to kill them at all so no matter what happens they'll live at least. Hooray an elite squad that didn't bite the dust... (I think they will choose Samura because of everything he did for them).

How did Hiruhiko know when Kumeyuri was usable anyway?! Was it some signal from his mystery supporter that was lurking outside the window? And who was that- did Worst Jeanist show up?

Samura's loath to kill innocents, but does Hakuri count as one? Would losing his sorcery be enough to count him as neutralized for the Hishaku's purposes? Was exhausting Hakuri the main reason why Hiruhiko sent all the forces to the temple in the first place?

Hiruhiko wasn't surprised to see Tobimune disappear, so the Hishaku probably know about Hakuri's power. Their mole within the Kamunabi should get a bonus for the turnaround time on learning that bit of info and sending it on. Unless John's playing 5D chess and knew about Hakuri's awakening and team-up with Chihiro before they even met the Kamunabi anyway... perhaps even orchestrated it too... that would definitely need a very good explanation.

Alright. Okay. Let's wait on tenterhooks together, dear void. No waterworks until they show the body, got it?

[sob]

[akuma-homura]

i'm remembering buzzly.art randomly and like

still sad about it

twitter fyp decided to show me it's apparently open publicly now, but I have no idea what its current state or stance of the owners are, or that whole mess. (...also wondering what I liked or retweeted to get a buzzly thing on the fyp?????)

Along with that, when that all was going down, they did literally ban my account anyway because I didn't choose the poll option that was completely 100% supportive of the one owner

LIKE IT WASN'T EVEN THE TOTALLY NEGATIVE TOWARDS THE DUDE OPTION I wish I remembered the actual choices wordings but the one I picked was like. i picked it 'cause I had the feeling of 'idk it's a little iffy but we'll see, i'm not sure'

but that was enough for my account to get fucking banned during that fiasco. Also remembering the weird passive aggression of the one owner towards people even trying to be really soft about their questions too.

not to mention that weird community morality poll or whatever it was called

like. idk. even if it is 'better', if those people are still in charge... I don't trust it.

[dan-crimes]

I love writers I love when they ramble on abt characters and their motivations, their core values and the reasons why they react to things in certain ways and having character interactions work off of each other due to their differing ways of viewing the world and in general I just love character analysis

[vacant2007]

i never do anything with love when i get it

[shiny-jr]

Hi! I noticed that your requests were open and I love the way you write Malleus so I was hoping you would do yandere malleus x reader. where the reader knows twisted wonderland is a game (but not imposter au pls) and after they got isekia'd are trying to stop the overblots from happening and malleus is just terrified for them. Idk just an idea I've had for awhile but never found a fanfic like lol. Obviously it's totally fine if you don't want to do it or if I accidentally broke a rule. Anyway remember to drink some water and take a break if needed! Have a amazing rest of your day/night!!

Warning: Yandere (not really, not at all). Gender-neutral reader.

Characters: Malleus Draconia.

Summary: MC sees affection meters and it's not good.

Note: These are mainly thoughts and random words my mind spewed out.  

How did one claim victory at a game? Well, it entirely depended on the game, the mechanics and the options. It should've been impossible to lose a mobile game that was primarily composed of the gacha mechanism and visual novels.

When you suddenly found yourself in the series of twisted villains in a prestigious school of magic, you found that it was much more complex than it appeared on screen. Especially when only you could see these small bars occasionally floating above people's heads. Bars which you recognized as affection meters, nearly all of them stagnant at a dull gray 0% when you first arrived. This was the hurdle blocking your way to an easy victory. Because how else were you to escape the game, other than complete it?

Situations became messier, when you didn't have a dialogue options between two mere choices. Add making good impressions and keeping a character's favor, to the list of quests alongside avoiding death by inky overblotted characters. By some miracle, you had increased the affection of the characters you met and interacted with to a healthy 5% or 10%, sometimes more. At any cost you wished to avoid getting in the negatives, because you did not want to find out what would happen then.

Sometimes, the numbers would drop dangerously close to zero, mainly when an overblot was occuring. Never had you realized how the visual novel failed spectacularly at portraying the utter horror of the overblotted in all their wicked glory. The black inky darkness leaking from them like tears or blood with those crazed unhinged looks in their eyes–– was the stuff of pure nightmares.

And yet the one whose overblot you had been dreading the most, the dorm leader of Diasomnia, was surprisingly docile as you dealt with others. However, you knew even when conversing with him, that you would one day witness him overblot and look like some ethereal but deadly fallen angel. So mentally you prepared yourself, while taking on the task of keeping up appearances.

Malleus' affection meter, was a good 20% and a friendly pink shade, quite the accomplishment you were proud of, considering the majority of the cast wasn't even at 15%. The Draconia heir was certainly someone you never wanted to see reach below zero, so you did your absolute best to appeal to him, even if he was quite intimidating at first with the way he stoically watched you complain about the least of your worries, homework and classes.

By the time you spoke to him about your troubles with the Ramshackle dorm and Azul, during what you knew was the Octavinelle arc, the prince's affection had sprouted to a 22%. When you went into more detail of the potential loss you could face, it went to 23%.

The next time you saw him, you were weary and antsy since witnessing Azul's break-down. If the blot of his tears had the magic to gather, it would've been enough to drown, you were sure of it. Even by that maniac look in his eyes, you're sure he would've purposely drowned you if he got close enough.

Throughout that charlatan's chapter, his affection meter had slowly been rising, dropping during the overblot like the tides only to rise once again by the end to a good 45%. This was good!

But no matter how much you may have pondered, strategized, or try to predict each next action, you could've never guessed that the next time you saw Malleus after Azul's overblot, his expression taut with concern, his affection meter had made a jump to 55% and turned red. This entire time you had been avoiding the negatives, but you never once worried of the dangers and implications a red affection meter above 50% would mean for you. Or heaven forbid, anything close to 100%.

[ghostlyfleur]

𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡.

steve harrington x fem!reader

summary: the sweet progression of steve and his pretty girl’s relationship.

warnings: tooth-rotting fluff, idiots in love, oblivious!reader, shy!reader, inexperienced!reader. pet names (angel, baby, flower girl, pretty girl, princess, sweet girl). 18+ mdni, smut-adjacent. world building.

word count: ~4.5k

pre-relationship—

steve’s girl friend is a soft spoken, remarkably sweet, gentle soul. she’s shy, way too anxious, so inexperienced that she comes off as innocent. her wardrobe consists of flowy skirts and flowery dresses and soft sweaters and cozy knits, puts flowers in her hairdos like interwoven in braids or tucked in a half-up half-down mess, has this ethereal vibe to the makeup she likes to wear (ie. shimmery eyeshadow in soft colors, highlighter, sparkly lipgloss, white waterline pencil, fairy wing eyeliner designs, and slightly blushy cheeks), wears silver wire-framed glasses at home when not using contacts and steve thinks it brings out her gorgeous eyes even more. she always wears pretty dangly earrings with flowers, her nails painted with glitter nail polish or neutral soft colors, and steve thinks she’s an angel.

the rest of the people in town mostly think her to be weird and unapproachable, with the way she stops mid walk to crouch down and whisper softly to a ladybug she sees on the sidewalk, or when she accidentally bumps into a street pole and yells out a panicked ‘sorry!’ as if she would hear a reply back.

when steve first met his girl, he was enchanted.

she was so soft and beautiful and kind, but also very anxious; something he noticed the first time she walked into scoops ahoy, and steve was so excited to finally talk to the pretty girl that started working at the flower shop down the block that he’s been pining for. the pretty girl’s reaction to his flirting however was of shyness, nervousness, and seemingly scared silence… so steve decided to make a fool out of himself just to see her smile. it was worth it. steve felt as if her laughter was the equivalent of the skies opening up to let sunshine peak through dark clouds. they eased their way into each other’s lives after that. his girl started seeking him out, finding comfort and safety in his presence and caregiving personality, though remaining clueless of his feelings and just how much robin teased him for being a smitten fool.

“pretty flower girl” is how steve referred to her at the beginning, all heart eyes and dreamy sighs. working at a flower shop seems to fit her so entirely, like she’s in her own little world while surrounded by flora. she’s able to tell you the meanings, both positive and negative, of any flower imaginable, of different plants too! keeps a log book and a journal to track her flora friends’ growth, pressed flowers and polaroid pictures of different bouquets, photographs each beautiful arrangement she creates in a picture album.

her home is also completely taken over by pots and plants and gardens and hanging vines, secrets whispered to them while she waters her little friends as needed, full conversations kept that seem to make all the plants bloom and flourish even more. lots of natural light comes in from the many windows of her cabin, surrounded by greenery and trees and a small pond that wild animals often visit, knowing her safe haven is also a safe haven for any animals. the place always smells like whatever she’s baking, the decor homey and filled with crystals and incense and hand painted mugs and vases. greens, yellows, oranges, and tan colors. books balanced on any available surface.

she becomes steve’s girl best friend, and he loves her so much. worships her, really. steve makes it his mission to spoil and love his pretty girl, even if he hides it behind silly flirting and the pretense of friendship.

whenever they’re together, steve and his girl are all the other sees. the gang has a little bet on who will break first, steve or his flower girl.

her sit is always his lap.

steve swears off other girls as soon as he meets her.

he is very affectionate towards her, and she loves to kiss his cheeks.

they often have sleepovers just the two of them.

they’re so close they can just exist together and be at peace.

she’s so supportive of him too, always praising him and hyping him up.

steve is overprotective of her.

whenever one goes the other sure follows.

see, steve’s girl is so sweet on him it drives robin crazy. because robin knows the feelings are reciprocated, but she also knows both steve and his girl enough to know she needs to let them figure this out by themselves. it doesn’t mean robin isn’t their number one fan, though.

steve’s pretty girl bakes him sweets often to bring to him at work to “make your day a little easier, stevie”, she brings him flowers from her job that steve learns to preserve in his room, she gives him her favorite ring that he never takes off. but steve also does little things for his sweet girl— takes care of her and buys her chocolate because it makes her so happy and giddy he falls a little more in love each time. he also reminds her to drink water, buys her favorite snacks for movie night or when she’s on her period, takes her to the movies, drives her everywhere (because she’s his pretty passenger princess) to have some extra time with her.

oh! steve’s girl also has a bunch of homemade gifts that she keeps in a small glass trunk in her home because she’s too shy to give them to her stevie— handmade bracelets, handmade wire rings, pretty things she finds at thrift stores that remind her of her pretty boy, handmade necklaces, small gifts with pressed flowers, letters she writes down because she feels so deeply for her sweet boy that she needs to let it out somehow, and a bunch of other small gifts that she hopes one day she can give to her stevie to show him how much she loves him.

she’s so lovely to her stevie without even realizing, though. she’s demiromantic, you see, and after becoming friends with steve she started to slowly fall for him. the thing is, she knew very well what was happening, she’s very in tune to her emotions, and she fell for him willingly! whereas steve fell for her fast and kept falling.

imagine his girl never had her first kiss… she’s so inexperienced and her sweet persona and gentle demeanor make her seem like the softest person ever. steve is so mesmerized by her.

he flirts with her and is sweet to her and devotes his time to her and spoils her rotten and gives her kisses and hugs and cuddles and all the love he has to give— steve quickly decided that even if they’re ‘just friends’ he’ll still treat her like his princess, give her everything he can and shower her in his adoration until she catches up. and even then, even when it’s so obvious that steve is in love with her, that he blushes and stutters and gets flustered only for her, that he shows her every day just how much he loves her, she remains oblivious.

in her pov, she knows she’s in love with her stevie so she’s going to treat him like the most precious person in her world. which he is. the thing is that she gives him all of her love without ever once considering that he might return it, even as he flirts and quite literally says he’s hers and she’s his all the time, it never even crosses her mind to actually believe it. maybe because she’s trying to protect herself from heartbreak. she just decides that her stevie deserves the world so she’s going to give him all she can.

but she’s so soft with him! holds his face between her hands when talking to him sometimes like she’s holding her whole world on her hands, presses kisses to his cheeks all the time, gives him hugs. she always compliments him, isn’t afraid of telling him exactly what’s on her mind…

“you look so pretty, stevie”

“i’m so proud of you.”

“i missed you lots today!”

“i saw this cute puppy and it reminded me of you ‘cause you’re just as cute!”

“i always prefer your company.”

flower girl is the most adorable sight steve has ever seen! she pouts so prettily whenever she doesn’t get the attention she wants from him, all soft lips and furrowed brows and plush cheeks crossed arms, and steve just wants to pepper kisses all over her face.

her love languages:

she bakes him cookies ; buys him things that remind her of her stevie ; plans these cute little “friend” outings that feel more like dates ; she’s never lacking in her affections though she’s very timid and shy when it happens ; will defend him no matter what ; makes sure to always praise him ; she gets all cranky if someone insults him even playfully ; she’s very shy so she often hides her face on his chest or neck and it makes his heart flutter ; she helps him babysit bc the kids love her ; she gave her stevie a special arrangement of flowers that she created just for him plus a little booklet of pictures of the two of them together that also had pressed flowers on it for his birthday ; she checks in with him every day even if they don’t see each other to make sure her stevie is doing okay ; will stay on the phone with him all night especially if he had a nightmare or a fight with his parents.

where steve’s best friend is all cute and pouty and sweet and clingy and loving but only to her stevie!!!!! and she’s a bit ditzy— talks to animals and plants and inanimate objects like they can answer her, her thoughts jump from one thing to another but steve always entertains her, she skips instead of waking a lot, she dresses all cute and coquette and always has glitter on her somewhere, she gives steve handmade gifts all the time with this shy little smile and blushing and sometimes when the gift is specially meaningful she’ll run away as soon as he accepts it 🥺 she trips over her own feet a lot too!!! so steve has to grip her waist to help her find her footing!!! and it makes her break out in goosebumps!!! and steve is so in love with her, with her ramblings and midnight ice cream cravings and true crime rants and the way she talks about murder and psychopath profiling and laughs at horror movies and has crystals and tarot cards and wants to befriend ghosts, how she gives her stevie little glass bottles with protection spells or anti-anxiety spells or how she always needs to hear his voice before bed.

and she’s so pretty and soft and kind and nice and laughs a lot and everyone loves her— but she never notices how so many people flirt with her, and never notices whenever steve scares possible suitors away, because really she only sees steve!!!!!! and it makes him crazy to see how she blatantly ignores anyone and everyone to focus on him!!!!!

but then one day steve’s girl starts feeling sad and heartbroken because she’s convinced herself that steve still loves nancy so she starts pulling away a little and steve doesn’t understand what he did wrong! robin has to spell it out for him that his girl thinks he still wants nancy when that couldn’t be further from the truth; steve now knows he’s never truly been in love before, not like he is with his angel, and that it was his angel that showed him he deserves someone who loves him just as much as he loves them. therefore, steve does his best to find ways to tell his girl that nancy is in the past, that she has nothing to worry about, but he has to do so while him and his angel aren’t together yet so he slowly breached the subject until he can figure out where his girl stands, if he can make a move, if she’s interested in him too, y’know? like those conversations filled with a deeper meaning and both parties trying to drop hints about their feelings but they’re still too hesitant to be more clear in their affections. for now.

imagine steve spoiling her and making her all giddy and happy and shy and giggly :( i want steve to treat his baby like royalty way before they even get together :( i wanna read about their first kiss and how it makes steve’s knees buckle and how she’s so giggly because it’s her first kiss and he tells her he wants to marry her right then and there and she tells him she never ever would consider being with anyone but her stevie :(

after they get together—

their first kiss happens in what steve considers to be the best night of his life to date.

it was halloween, and he was slightly nervous about going to the fair with not only the kids and robin and eddie, but his girl too. the year before, he stayed in with his angel and robin watching movies and eating junk, which was the perfect night ‘cause he got to cuddle his girl, but last halloween he went out to celebrate didn’t end up being very enjoyable for him… what with having your now-ex call you bulshit, bullshit, bullshit.

however, this is his girl he’s talking about. while it wasn’t a date, simply a hangout with their friend group, steve still considers his girl, well… his. and the fact she insisted on meeting them there herself had him slightly on edge.

she was dressed as a fairy.

steve has never seen anyone as pretty, as mesmerizing. and the way she treated this night, treated him, was driving steve crazy.

first, once she meets everyone at the entrance of the amusement park they agreed to go to, she insists on paying for both herself and steve. literally grabs steve’s wallet from his hand and only gives it back after she pays.

he, of course, only really allows it because she gives him her — in steve’s opinion illegal — pouty puppy eyes that she knows steve can’t say no to.

afterwards, once they all enter and the kids disperse to the various entertainment with the agreement of meeting up later to eat, steve’s girl drags him away from robin and eddie, who were both sporting knowing grins, to a shooting booth where she proceeds to win, suspiciously easily might he add, a stuffed frog for him.

and then she grabs his hand. albeit hesitantly, but she does. intertwining their fingers and everything.

the entire night was a dream for steve, and unbeknownst to him, for his girl too. she had a plan, you see. his angel was pulling out all the stops, even if she was shy and blushy the whole time— paying for the tickets for both of them was number one. followed by winning steve a stuffed animal, holding his hand, sharing fried oreos and cotton candy (again, paid by her), and going to the photobooth. the ferris wheel would be last, but it’s what happens inside the photobooth that matters.

once inside, steve made sure she was sat on his lap. she payed again. the pictures go a little something like this:

1st pic steve is laughing and she’s looking at him like he’s her dream come true which he is / 2nd pic she pushes forward not being able to wait any longer and quickly presses her lips to his a bit messily / 3rd pic is her looking all flustered and shy and doe-eyed while steve has this dazed look in his eyes and his jaw is dropped / 4th pic is steve grabbing her cheeks and kissing her fully, brows furrowed and all.

steve steals another kiss at the top of the ferris wheel, it was giggling and smiling more than kissing, though.

on the drive home, angel makes a stop at their self-assigned star gazing spot where she officially asks steve to be her boyfriend, all flustered and timid but oh so hopeful. another kiss, a resounding “yes” from her sweet boy, and dropping him off with a quick goodnight kiss ends the night, and steve has never been happier.

the fact she planned this whole night, took a chance, romanced the hell out of him, and was so genuine the whole time, looking to make him smile, just because, had steve on a high unlike any other. no one has ever taken the time to spoil him, to do romantic things for him. he’s not used to reciprocity in relationships, but here this angel is professing her love for him and not only saying it but showing him she means it. best night of his life.

and so their relationship begins.

steve harrington just worships his girl, spoils her continuously, and wants to do everything for her. he is overly affectionate and just obsessed with his baby, pictures of her and with her everywhere on his house, his car, his wallet, maybe even a locket he wears with a copy of the picture of their first kiss on it. steve took the photobooth strip and got the second picture, his angel kissing him for the first time, copied and altered to fit into the locket.

everyone in town just knows steve is entirely whipped and he does not care. he is definitely touch starved for his girl, quite a bit jealous, however, but trusts her so much that it just comes out as a sort of possessiveness that isn’t toxic but something both he and, secretly, his angel enjoy. steve always praises her and wants to take care of her because she’s his sweet little angel girl.

steve is also her first everything— first kiss, first date, first boyfriend, first time… and it drives him insane! something about knowing he’s the only one that’s ever had her and the only one she’s ever wanted just drives him up the wall and gets him so needy. so desperate. so whiney and pouty.

something else about steve as a boyfriend is that he’s his angel’s biggest fan — always praising, always encouraging, always in awe of her. will brag about his baby to anyone. randomly brings her up in conversation because she’s all he thinks about and he’s so proud to be hers.

buying her flowers whenever he can so she’ll give him this wide, square smile of hers that takes over her whole face like she can’t control it and her nose scrunches up a bit and he never wants to look at anything but her.

her stevie is really into pda too, can’t take his hands off of her, but nothing extreme; casual touches and pecks on her nose or temple or lips or cheeks, buries his face in her neck often, hand holding constantly!!!!!!, plays with her hair, is always playing with the delicate ‘s’ pendant on her neck that he gifted her and she never takes off (steve has this proud little smile whenever he messes with it).

then there’s the casual dominance— steve tucks her hair behind her ears, ties her shoelaces for her, adjusts the clasp of her necklace, puts her dainty jewelry on for her, braids her hair because she’s always clumsy with it and she prefers his braids over hers, gives her water so she stays hydrated, remembers her meds for her, adjusts her beanie on her hair when it’s cold and she’s wearing one, wipes chocolate from the corner of her mouth because his baby is a messy eater, pulls on her waist when they’re walking so she doesn’t bump into someone or something because she’s too busy talking and looking at him, spoon feeds her when she’s too tired and sleepy and pouty, brushes her teeth for her too when she’s being his cute little tired baby or is in subspace, brushing her hair and treating her like a little doll, his little doll, and loves to shower with her so he can do it for her, loves to drive her everywhere too. she’s his pretty passenger princess and they both take that role very seriously.

and whenever his pretty baby gets all glassy eyed and needy and blushy for him? he melts.

steve has a daddy kink. major one. and when he finally finds his baby, his person, he starts noticing things she might be into for the sole reason of wanting to be the absolute best he can be for his baby. the thing is, he knows she’s entirely new to this and still a bit nervous and hesitant and shy, so he starts by filing things away in his brain to make sure once she’s ready and the time comes that he can treat her perfectly, and give her everything and anything she wants.

his baby is probably a sub, she must be, with how pliable and soft she gets. for sure has an oral fixation, always giving him little kisses and little bites randomly and pressing his hand to her lips so she can softly mouth at them (but will shy away and get flustered when she notices she’s doing this) (she just loves his hands and he knows). steve’s girl also gets all flustered and her breath hitches when he jokingly calls himself ‘daddy’, so he takes that as a good sign because there’s nothing steve wants more in this world than to be her daddy. only hers. to spoil and care for and love his baby to the best of his ability.

she also loves when he manhandles her, he’s noticed— it’s just that steve really enjoys carrying his baby around, loves feeling needed and loves holding her and having her body pressed to his and have her hold on to him, but also he just wants to do things for his baby, doesn’t want her to tire herself out, ever!

she doesn’t need to walk around all the time because her stevie’s here and he won’t have his baby do unnecessary work when he’s around. whenever he grabs her waist and places her on top of a counter or something and stands between her legs? she gets all smiley. steve also absolutely loves how clearly his touch affects her; she hums and melts into him and gets a bit breathless and just tries to bury herself into him until they become one. lots of cuddles and hugs from behind and just being entirely wrapped in each other while wearing the coziest sweaters under the cuddliest blanket are common occurrences.

the main thing, though… is how steve’s shy little girlfriend quickly becomes obsessed with his bulge. loves when her stevie hugs her from behind so it presses against her, or when he has her sit between his legs with her back to his chest, or any time where her stevie is holding her close. he doesn’t even need to be hard for her to enjoy it, i mean, he shows through his jeans even when he’s soft! and she just always thinks it looks so…soft? and chubby? and she just wants it smushed against her at all times.

it takes steve a while to figure it out, but when he does? he’s relentless! pressing up against his baby all. the. fucking. time. just to see her blush and stutter and get all shy… but she also fucking sighs and relaxes whenever he does it, like it’s such a comfort for her? to feel all of him? like it’s all she’s waiting for at all times. and it drives steve crazy how his cute, shy, introverted, virgin girlfriend who giggles all the time and is always flustered by him and hiding her hot cheeks with her hands and is so… clumsy and tentative and nervous when it comes to any sort of affection (which she only accepts from her stevie) ((she definitely hates touch except his)) (((and he knows it too! was one of the things that proved to him his pretty best friend had feelings for him too when they were ‘just friends’))) can be so desperate to feel his bulge against her.

angel also loves that her stevie boy has huge hands! absolutely massive. could-wrap-one-hand-around-your-entire-neck massive, beautiful, strong, soft hands.. and yeah, both steve and his girl definitely have huge size kinks. huge. they haven’t said so out loud yet, but it shows through their actions. steve loves how obvious the size difference is when they’re holding hands, or when his hand is on her soft thighs. most of the time his baby holds his fingers instead because it hurts a little bit to intertwine their fingers for too long and steve thinks it’s fucking adorable. she’s shorter too, so 😵‍💫 her sweet boy goes crazy. teasing, best friend steve comes out sometimes too when he uses her head as an armrest to tease her, or when he full on picks her up to take her somewhere if she’s being a brat or is too lazy, too tired to move.

steve’s angel loves their size difference. so much. it shows when she hides herself against his chest when it’s cold, when she compares hand sizes because “stevie, the difference is just insane!”, when steve smushes her into the mattress when they start fucking later on. steve notices his angel blush or sigh or break out in goosebumps whenever his hands are involved— i mean, can you blame her? his hands are so pretty. she’s always holding and touching and tracing her fingertips over his palms and pressing kisses, biting softly, sucking on his fingers when she’s restless, fidgety, or sleepy.

using steve as a weighted blanket is a must; helps angel when she’s anxious or having a bad day.

to be continued…

── harmo’s footnotes:

please remember to show your support by reblogging!

masterlist. steve dreams.

ghostlyfleur © — all rights reserved. do not repost, copy, or translate.

[patricia-taxxon]

cw: venting about some drama that happened on twitter that many of you were likely not present for, and my very personal solipsistic emotional reaction to it that many of you will find annoying.

So every once in a while, people (normies) rediscover this furry musician called Pent Up Pup, who is a fan of me i think, so I need to be nice. To describe them with complete neutrality, they make music that is completely filled with memes and signifiers of furry kink erotica to the point of parody, and they invite a huge amount of derision like you'd expect. This particular drama storm was triggered by their new song, and it aroused a lot of negative emotions in me, which i'll go through from least to most self-centered.

So firstly, through being so audacious, Pent Up Pup has managed to become the default furry musician through which all discourse flows, normies treat them like the final boss. Everyone needed to have a take, but even more people saw this as an opportunity to bring them down in favor of someone else. Some poor furry rapper called $LEAZY EZ got caught in the crossfire, and her snippet that she uploaded got met with "see? finally some GOOD furry music, this is way better than the one other furry musician I know." And like, yea I'd absolutely produce and mix an entire mixtape for her at no charge, but she had a right to be upset that her big viral break was in service of a bunch of leeches one-upping another creator in the space she was trying to integrate with.

But worse, the main response to her snippet was just... "Oh, finally, furry music that isn't white boy EDM." And like, Pent Up Pup isn't white and imo is way more aligned with alt-rock/britpop, they're just imagining a minority that agrees with them. But also, the more self centered part of me just wants to ask "what about me?" Like imo I'm one of the best in the world at the specific thing I do, and it's not white boy EDM.

And furthermore, in response, every furry musician on twitter has been eager to defend their friend and say that trash talking Pup and uplifting someone else doesn't work when everyone in the scene knows each other. "Don't you know? We're a tight knit community!" And to this I feel a combination of petulant annoyance and RSD, because I have been trying to be a part of that scene and failing for a long time now. Like, I tried integrating into the community when I was first gearing my music in that direction & tried sending my music to the failed beta version of Aural Aliance, and Rinny turned down my track (it was the then unreleased beast / creature) because it had autotune in it. They apologized later (thankfully) and offered me a spot, but like, half of their lineup and also the people organizing the events have me blocked over callout stuff, so I just ghosted them. I've mostly been watching this huge unfair drama storm unfold, making me feel talked over, but then I also have to watch this community that ostracized me band together and show their unyielding comradery while everyone just sidesteps past me in the conversation. I warned you that this would be self centered.

[midnight-in-town]

Was Donovan trying to read the mind of his family members ?

Like some fans, I believe Donovan's scars on both sides of his forehead (which he didn't have as a kid, as we know thanks to Henderson's flashback) are proof that he had some sort of neurosurgery.

Some fans say it was to suppress unecessary emotions : he indeed only ever reacts neutrally, positively or negatively, using a few basic emotions like judgement, acknowledgement and disappointment (both in ch106 and ch38).

However, I'm also of the opinion that Donovan has a big link to the organization that experimented on Anya and maybe that neurosurgery was meant to give him "mind-reading" powers, similar to Anya's.

After all, he did say two things of the utmost importance to his characterization :

So basically “you can’t trust anyone but yourself”.

As such, thematically it makes sense that he's Twilight's entire mission, but also, as a man with so much distrust, he would definitely be interested in a project that would allow a peak into other people's thoughts.

Demetrius is also a good hint as to what could be up with Donovan :

The son Donovan used to be so invested in seems very similar to his father (my God, his eyes), but when Anya tried to hear his thoughts ?

What she rather got was that "pondering [about not understanding people] is a waste of time" for him. So maybe, when they used to spend time together, Donovan showed a lot of distrust towards his own son and taught him to trust no one, so much that Demetrius started to believe all people are an enigma to him.

And that makes sense : children learn from their parents' example, in most cases (take Anya with Twilight and Yor). So if your father is a man who hardcore believes everyone else lies, how would his son understand all the moratively complex dynamics that exist between many people ? Avoiding to think altogether would be less of a headache, for sure.

Lastly, Donovan's reaction about the family dinner is another good hint he maybe has mind reading powers : Melinda tried once to chat but quickly gave up, while Damian spent the entire meal mustering the courage to speak up, so what could decidedly be interesting since nothing was said ?

However if things were thought during dinner... well, it sure would give a different reading to this scene.

Bonus #1 : since Twilight's entire life is based on a lie (his name, his work, his family, maybe even his father, who knows), it makes absolute sense that the entire plot is about deciphering what Donovan and his plans are about.

The fact he keeps on getting emotionally trapped by four year old Anya, who can read his mind, makes it instantly ten times more intense if Donovan now also has mind reading powers.

Bonus #2 : the only other important character in the narrative, besides Anya, who is aware that mind reading is real is Damian.

He doesn't believe in it yet, but once he does, it's likely that his friendship with Anya will eventually make Damian realize a lot about what his father has been up to (in the meantime, Yor please, give Miranda the desire to fight for her sons' safety).

TL;DR maybe Donovan has (recent ?) mind reading powers (I'd even add Sigmund Authen's past as an esteemed neurology professor is related to the whole shenanigan).

The family dinner was just a way to make extra sure that no one in his family is plotting against him, hence the bodyguards at home, because how more dysfunctional can it get ?

[slytherinsmuse]

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾ Between Us | Draco Malfoy ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x Fem! Reader

Warnings: mentions of smoking, not proofread, characters are 18+

Summary: Fluff | A secret kiss with Draco turns into scandalous rumor.

Word count: 6496

author's note: I wrote this a while ago and it has been sitting in my docs forever. Hope you enjoy, it is quite tame. I love Pansy but had to use her negatively for this lol.

The Slytherin common room buzzed with quiet, crackling energy, the kind of whispered tension that always followed a Sorting Ceremony. Shadows flickered along the walls, cast by greenish firelight as the newly sorted students settled into their house. Yet, for you, the warmth of the room felt far from welcoming.You sat alone on a plush, emerald-green couch near the edge of the common room, attempting to focus on the shifting patterns in the fireplace. But despite your best efforts, the constant hum of whispered voices and stolen glances in your direction kept pulling you back to reality.

They all knew.

The rumor had spread like fiendfyre, whispered from ear to ear as though it were some priceless secret. Draco Malfoy and you—seen in a compromising position over the summer, tucked away from prying eyes but apparently not hidden well enough. A secret kiss. Hands in places they shouldn’t have been, displays of affection best suited for the privacy of a room, or at least, that’s how the story had been embellished.You knew exactly where they’d all heard it—from Pansy Parkinson. After all, she had opened her mouth as soon as students had set foot on the train to Hogwarts.

Pansy had always been a thorn in your side, though not by your choice. You weren’t even sure what you’d done to earn her ire; you hardly gave her much thought, and yet she never missed a chance to remind you of her presence. Maybe it was the fact that you had never bent to her snide remarks, or maybe it was that Draco would, on rare occasions, acknowledge you—a simple greeting, an offhand comment about class, a carefully crafted compliment from time to time. Nothing you’d ever taken to mean more, but it had clearly gotten under Pansy’s skin.

For Pansy, it was more than rivalry; it was a personal mission to best you, even if you had never actually joined the game.

And this time, she’d gone out of her way to humiliate you. You were certain she hadn’t just “let it slip” like she claimed. No, she had fed the rumor, stoking it into something larger and more scandalous than it actually was. She’d likely watched with satisfaction as the story spread from person to person until it was whispered in every corridor, every corner of the Slytherin dungeon. The scandal was all anyone could talk about, a new shiny present for the first day of school. Pansy had taken a single, hidden moment and transformed it into a spectacle—a kiss that wasn’t meant for anyone else’s eyes or ears, a small sliver of warmth you’d never expected to find. But now, that moment was tangled with the bitterness of betrayal, tainted by Pansy’s scheming. The entire school knew what had happened that night, twisted by Pansy’s jealousy into something cheap and tawdry.

And the worst part? She was watching you, even now, smirking from across the room, clearly basking in the havoc she’d sown. You kept your expression neutral, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a reaction, but inside, anger simmered low and steady. She might have won this round, but she didn’t know everything. The real memory—the feeling of his hand on yours, the brief escape that had led to that kiss—belonged only to you and Draco.

You could almost hear her voice behind every stare—a hint of triumph mixed with resentment, the sound of it dripping with thinly veiled bitterness. Ever since, everyone seemed to be watching you, judging you, eager to see if the rumors would continue to spark. Just then, the common room door creaked open, and a familiar figure strode in.

Draco Malfoy.

He scanned the room, his gaze as icy and unreadable as ever. For a fleeting moment, his eyes met yours across the crowded room. There was a flicker of something in his gaze—something unspoken, something only you would understand. You weren’t sure if it was regret, amusement, or something else altogether. But before you could even think to react, he turned away, breaking the moment as quickly as it had begun. He crossed the room with his usual elegance, coolly ignoring the whispers, the glances, the tension that only he and you seemed to fully understand. You took a shaky breath, willing yourself to remain calm, and looked back into the fire, your mind already drifting to that night at Malfoy Manor, where it had all begun.

~~~

The grand, looming gates of Malfoy Manor opened before you, casting an intimidating shadow over the path as you arrived with your parents. You stayed close to them, more out of obligation than comfort, knowing that if it were up to you, you’d be anywhere but here. Official gatherings like these always felt stifling—a room full of people dressed in their finest suits and gowns, exchanging veiled pleasantries and flaunting their wealth in subtle but pointed ways. You were expected to fit right in, to play the part as seamlessly as they did. But the truth was, you hated every second of it.It wasn’t that you resented your family or your status—it was simply exhausting. The endless social games, the forced politeness, and the insincerity of it all wore on you, weighing you down like a set of invisible chains. But that was the cost of your family name, and like it or not, you were bound by it.

As you stepped through the manor’s doors and into the grand entrance hall, you plastered on the same polite smile you always wore at these events. Elegant tapestries lined the walls, and every surface gleamed with an almost exaggerated richness, reminding you of the status that the Malfoys prided themselves on. Tonight, they were hosting, and every detail was perfect, as it always was. The hosts themselves awaited just beyond the doorway: Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, flanked by their son, Draco. Your parents greeted them first, exchanging the usual pleasantries with voices dipped in formal tones, before it was your turn.

“Lovely to see you again,” Narcissa said, her voice smooth and gracious, as if she’d rehearsed it a hundred times.

“Thank you for inviting us,” you replied, inclining your head politely, catching Draco’s gaze just for a second. His expression was as reserved as ever, though you thought you detected a flicker of boredom in his eyes—something you could relate to.

With the greetings over, you politely excused yourself, weaving through the crowd toward the bar. If you were going to make it through this night, a drink was essential. A firewhiskey, to be precise. As you reached the bar, you nodded to the bartender and murmured your order. The firewhiskey appeared before you almost instantly, amber liquid glistening in the dim candlelight. You took a long sip, feeling its warmth spread through you—a small comfort in an otherwise dreary evening.

You glanced around, watching the crowd move and mingle. People laughed, their voices tinkling like crystals, but you could sense the undercurrent of calculation behind every word. Families like yours, bound by tradition and expectations, each with their own reputation to uphold. You couldn’t imagine spending the entire evening like this, dancing around meaningless small talk with people who barely saw you beyond your family name.

With your drink in hand, you headed towards an empty couch tucked along the side of the room, half-hidden behind a potted tree with sprawling, leafy branches. It looked comfortable enough, and more importantly, it was out of the way—far from the watchful eyes of your family and the eager whispers of the guests who always seemed far too interested in every move you made.

You crossed the room quietly, weaving through clusters of people, careful not to draw attention. When you finally reached the couch, you sank into it with a relieved sigh, grateful for the brief reprieve. From here, you had a clear view of the dance floor, which was filled with couples swaying to the soft music drifting through the room. The dim lighting gave the scene a kind of dreamy, almost surreal quality.

The last thing you wanted was to be dragged out onto that floor, under the scrutinizing gaze of the entire ballroom. Your family was notorious for presenting you at events like this, encouraging you to mingle and, worse, dance with any boy they deemed suitable. It wasn’t about you, of course; it was about appearances, about showing that the heir of the Y/L/N family was sociable, poised, a proper pure-blood with all the right qualities.

But you didn’t care about any of that. You despised the dances, despised the forced politeness and the looks that always followed you as you were paraded around. People here seemed to watch you as if you were some sort of rare creature—a curiosity to be studied and judged. It felt suffocating, like you couldn’t move without someone taking notice, without someone passing silent judgement.

All you wanted was to make it through the evening with the fewest interactions possible.

Sipping the last of your firewhiskey, you leaned back into the couch, hoping you could remain here, unnoticed and undisturbed. You kept a careful eye on the dance floor, looking out for any sign of your parents. If they noticed you here, alone and sitting out the dance, they’d undoubtedly “introduce” you to some eligible heir from another pure-blood family. It was their favorite tactic to keep up appearances, and you dreaded the moment it might happen tonight.

As you watched, the dancers spun and swayed under the dim glow of the chandeliers, laughter and idle chatter filling the air. The perfect picture of refined elegance. But you couldn’t shake the nagging feeling of restlessness, the sense that you didn’t belong in this world of masks and formalities. You yearned to slip out, to find a corner of the manor where you could breathe without the weight of everyone’s expectations.

You glanced to the side, and for a moment, you thought you saw a familiar face watching you from across the room. Draco, leaning casually against the wall near the dance floor, his gaze fixed on you. He seemed to be in a similar predicament, observing the crowd with a mixture of disdain and detachment. And, if you weren’t mistaken, there was a hint of amusement in his eyes as they met yours.

He smirked, raising his glass in a silent toast, as if acknowledging the shared struggle of enduring an evening like this. You allowed yourself a small smile, nodding back, appreciating the rare moment of understanding.

But just as you were about to settle back into the couch, you caught sight of your mother in the distance, scanning the room—her gaze already narrowing in on you, and you had a sinking feeling she had someone in mind to “introduce” you to. You quickly turned away, hoping she might be distracted by another guest before she reached you, silently praying that you could just stay hidden in your quiet corner.

The last thing you needed tonight was to be pulled into the crowd, forced into more polite interactions, or worse—a dance.

Just as you’d feared, your mother was making a beeline toward you, her arm linked with that of none other than Gregory Goyle. Fantastic. Of all the people she could have chosen, she had to bring him over. Goyle wasn’t exactly unpleasant, but he was far from your idea of ideal company. Throughout school, you’d barely spoken beyond the occasional forced interaction in Potions, and you both had an unspoken agreement to keep out of each other’s way. But tonight, it seemed that the silent truce was about to be tested.

“Y/N,” your mother said with a broad, practiced smile, “I thought you might like to meet young Mr. Goyle. He’s been telling me about his plans for the future, and I thought it would be nice for the two of you to catch up.” Her eyes were expectant, practically daring you to say something pleasant.

You forced a polite smile, nodding at Goyle, who looked equally uncomfortable, his collar slightly too tight and his expression blank as ever.

“Nice to see you, Goyle” you managed, hoping that a few words would satisfy your mother.

But of course, she wasn’t finished. “I was just telling him how much you enjoy dancing.” she continued, her gaze shifting between you and Goyle with thinly veiled encouragement. “I’m sure you’d love a dance with him.”

Your stomach twisted as you imagined the stilted, silent dance that would inevitably follow. A dance with Goyle was the last thing you wanted, and you opened your mouth to politely decline, scrambling for any excuse that wouldn’t offend him or your mother.

Just then, a voice cut smoothly into the conversation. “Actually, Mrs. Y/L/N,” Draco said, his tone impeccably polite, “Y/N has already promised me the first dance.”

You turned, surprised but profoundly relieved to see Draco standing there with an easy, confident smile. His eyes met yours for a brief moment, and you caught the faintest flicker of mischief in his gaze. He offered his hand to you, waiting with the quiet assurance of someone who knew he would not be refused.

Your mother looked taken aback for a second, her plan clearly derailed. But she recovered quickly, nodding with approval. “Well, isn’t that lovely,” she said, her gaze shifting between the two of you with a hint of satisfaction. “Go on, then. Don’t let me keep you.”

You took Draco’s hand, internally cursing the fact that you now had to dance but still relieved to have avoided Goyle. As he led you toward the dance floor, you leaned in, muttering under your breath, “Thanks for that. I thought I was doomed.”

Draco chuckled softly, his hand settling around your waist as he guided you into the first steps of the waltz. “I figured you might need rescuing,” he replied, his voice low. “Besides, you looked like you’d rather disappear than dance with Goyle.”

“You’re right about that,” you admitted, feeling the warmth of his hand on your waist, the steady grip as he led you effortlessly across the floor. “But dancing’s not exactly my idea of fun either.”

He raised an eyebrow, an amused glint in his eyes. “I didn’t think you were the type to hate dancing.”

“It’s not the dancing I hate,” you muttered, glancing around at the people watching you—some with curiosity, others with envy. “It’s the audience.”

Draco smirked, steering you through the dance with ease. “Then ignore them. Just focus on me.”

You scoffed but allowed yourself to meet his gaze, letting the room around you blur into the background. It was easier said than done, but somehow, with his steadying presence, you found yourself relaxing, if only a little.

The music swelled around you, and for a few moments, you forgot about the crowd, the whispers, and the endless expectations pressing in from all sides. The world narrowed down to just you and Draco, moving in sync across the dance floor.

When the music finally slowed to a close, you realized you hadn’t once looked away from him. He released you with a small, almost reluctant smile, offering a polite bow as he stepped back.

“Well,” he said, his voice low and laced with something unreadable. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding. “No… it wasn’t,” you murmured, feeling a bit of relief now that the dance was over. “But I’d rather not repeat it.”

Draco’s expression shifted slightly, a faint shadow crossing his face as he straightened up, his grip loosening just a bit. “Ah,” he said coolly, his tone clipped. “I’ll make sure not to inconvenience you next time.”

You blinked, realizing he’d misread your meaning. A soft chuckle escaped your lips, and you shook your head, amused at the unexpected flash of offense in his expression. “I didn’t mean you,” you said, placing a gentle hand on his arm to guide him away from the crowd. “I meant this whole… production.”

Draco’s face softened, and his smirk returned, the brief flash of irritation fading from his gaze. “Ah, well, in that case, allow me to make it up to you.” He inclined his head, leading you through the crowd and back toward the bar. “How about a drink to ease the suffering?”

You laughed softly. “Now that,” you said, settling beside him at the bar, “I won’t turn down.”

He ordered two firewhiskeys, and as the bartender slid the glasses across the polished counter, Draco raised his in a quiet toast. “To surviving our families and insufferable company.”

You clinked your glass against his, smiling. “You know, for the record, I actually like your company from time to time.”

Draco raised an eyebrow, looking pleasantly surprised. “Is that so? I suppose I’ll take that as a rare compliment.”

“Take it however you like,” you replied, amused. “But consider it a thank you for saving me back there.”

He chuckled, his gaze lingering on you for a moment longer than necessary. “Anytime,” he said, with a hint of something playful in his voice. “After all, we seem to be the only sane ones here tonight.”

You both settled into comfortable silence, sipping your drinks and watching the ballroom from your secluded corner. The firewhiskey was beginning to warm you from the inside, dulling the sharp edges of the night. You felt a slight buzz, a touch more adventurous than you’d felt before. You swirled your glass, savoring the last sip as you casually scanned the room once again.

That’s when you spotted Draco’s usual crowd huddled together near one of the large windows. Theodore, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and Blaise—all laughing and chatting, oblivious to anyone else. Pansy, however, seemed to be the exception. Every few moments, she cast a glance your way, her lips curling in a faint smirk whenever she caught sight of you and Draco sitting together.

You rolled your eyes, turning your attention back to Draco. He was watching the room with a quiet sort of ease, the ghost of a smirk still lingering on his face. You could see the way his gaze occasionally drifted over to his friends, yet he hadn’t made any move to join them. Instead, he remained here with you, seemingly content in your quiet corner, away from the crowd.

Curiosity got the best of you, and you found yourself glancing at him, trying to read the expression on his face. “Not to sound ungrateful,” you said, breaking the silence, “but aren’t your friends waiting for you?”

Draco tilted his head, meeting your gaze, his expression unreadable for a moment. “What, you mean that insufferable company?” he replied with a smirk, echoing his earlier toast. “Believe me, I’m doing myself a favor. I will see them enough in school next month.”

You chuckled, shaking your head. “Fair enough, but I’m sure Pansy would disagree. She’s been shooting daggers at me since we sat down.”

Draco’s smirk widened, and he took a casual sip of his drink. “Pansy’s always shooting daggers at someone. If it weren’t you, it would be Daphne or some poor soul she deemed unworthy.” He shrugged, his gaze drifting back to you, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. “Maybe tonight I just prefer the company here.”

His words sent a spark of warmth through you, and you found yourself meeting his gaze, letting the silence between you linger a bit longer than necessary. “Well,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady, “I can’t say I mind. You’ve turned this night around a bit.”

Draco’s expression softened, and he leaned back, his gaze steady on yours. “Glad to be of service. It’s not every day I get to rescue a damsel from Goyle and the horrors of small talk.”

You laughed softly, feeling the edges of your reluctance and guardedness soften under the gentle buzz of the firewhiskey and Draco’s rare warmth. You weren’t exactly close with Draco—not in the way his friends were, and certainly not like Pansy always tried to be. Your families, though, had always maintained a certain closeness. Enough that you’d spent more than a few summer afternoons and winter evenings together over the years, learning to enjoy each other’s company in a way that felt natural outside the halls of Hogwarts.

In the tightly woven social fabric of Hogwarts,however,  you each belonged to your own worlds. He had his crowd, and you had yours. You only really crossed paths at the occasional party, or when forced together on a school project. Not that you minded. Draco was pleasant enough company, and you’d never deny that he was easy on the eyes. Not that you have ever thought about pursuing something with him. After the mess of your last relationship, you’d made a rule for yourself: no more romantic entanglements while at Hogwarts. It wasn’t worth the drama and the endless complications. Word had gotten around, of course, as it always did. It wasn’t long before people knew you were unreachable. Boys who once might have tried to chat you up quickly learned that you weren’t interested. You liked it that way; it was simpler, cleaner, and it meant you didn’t have to deal with the annoyances that had come with your last relationship.

But tonight… well, tonight was different. Maybe it was the firewhiskey, or maybe it was the way Draco was looking at you now, his usual cool exterior softening as he took you in. You raised an eyebrow, wondering what exactly was going through his mind.

“You look beautiful,” he said suddenly, his voice quieter than before. “I rarely see you so formal. It’s… a welcome change.”

A faint blush crept into your cheeks, and you chuckled softly, rolling your eyes. “Can’t say the same about you,” you replied, a playful smile tugging at your lips. “I mean you’re always dashing in these black suits. But you always seem to be wearing them. Don’t you ever get tired of it?”

He smirked, adjusting the cuff of his sleeve with a casual elegance that only seemed to amplify his charm. “Not everyone can pull off the classic look,” he said smoothly. “But I’ll take it as a compliment.”

You shook your head, amused by his confidence. “You would.”

Draco leaned in slightly, his eyes gleaming with something you couldn’t quite place. “I mean it, though. You should dress up more often.”

You shrugged, still smiling. “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t even be here. I’d be home in my favorite old t-shirt.”

“Ah, but then I wouldn’t get to see you like this,” he said, his voice low, almost a murmur. There was a glint in his eyes, something warm and unexpectedly genuine that caught you off guard.

For a moment, you held his gaze, the soft glow of the firewhiskey warming you in more ways than one. You felt a flutter of something you hadn’t allowed yourself to feel in a long time, a whisper of possibility you’d long sworn off. But just as quickly, you reminded yourself of your own rule—the boundary you’d set for yourself, the reason you were so guarded in the first place.

Still, you allowed yourself a small smile, letting the moment linger a second longer than necessary. “Enjoy it while it lasts, then,” you said, your voice light but your heart suddenly a little heavier.

Draco smirked, lifting his glass in a quiet toast. “Trust me—I intend to.”

A comfortable silence settled between you both, the kind that felt oddly intimate. Neither of you needed to fill it with idle chatter, and yet, the quiet left you with a strange sense of anticipation that made your heart race just a little faster.

After a few moments, you excused yourself, mumbling something about needing the bathroom. Really, you just needed a moment alone—to calm your nerves and shake off the slight fluster that Draco had somehow managed to provoke in you. His words, his appearance, the way he was looking at you… It was unsettling in the most unexpected way, breaking through that carefully constructed barrier you’d kept around yourself for so long.

You took a few deep breaths as you leaned over the sink, splashing a bit of cool water on your hands and pressing your fingertips to your temples. ‘Get a grip’ you told yourself, trying to steady the flutter in your chest. After a moment, you straightened, adjusted your silk gown, and composed yourself as best as you could before heading back out.

But as you opened the door, you found Draco standing there, his hands tucked into his pockets, looking for all the world like he’d been waiting for you. His expression softened as his eyes met yours, a hint of that same mischief dancing in his gaze.

“You alright?” he asked, his voice low.

You nodded, feeling a bit caught off guard. “I—yes, just needed a moment.”

Draco’s smirk widened, but he didn’t press. Instead, he glanced toward the crowd milling around in the ballroom, the faint music and laughter drifting through the hall. “Come on,” he said, his tone casual yet inviting. “Let’s get out of here for a bit. I know a place where we can actually breathe.”

Against your better judgement, you found yourself nodding. You knew you should probably decline, head back to the ballroom, and spend the rest of the night blending into the background as you’d planned. But something in the way Draco looked at you, the quiet invitation in his words, made you reconsider. And before you could think twice, you were following him down one of the manor’s winding, dimly lit corridors, away from the prying eyes and relentless whispers.

The path he took you down was secluded, lit only by soft candlelight and the faint silver glow of the moon streaming in from the high windows. You walked in silence, side by side, his hand occasionally brushing against yours as you rounded corners and ascended a narrow staircase. It was thrilling, a quiet adventure you hadn’t expected, and every step felt like it was drawing you deeper into a moment that belonged only to the two of you.

Finally, Draco led you to a small, secluded balcony overlooking the sprawling, moonlit gardens below. It was a beautiful view, with the manicured hedges and twinkling fountains stretching out beneath you. The night air was cool, and you closed your eyes, taking a deep breath, enjoying the pleasant silence.

Draco leaned against the railing beside you, his gaze shifting from the gardens to you. “Better than the ballroom?” he asked, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

You chuckled softly, nodding. “Much better. Thank you for this.”

He shrugged, his expression softening as he looked out over the gardens. “You looked like you needed an escape.”

Silence settled between you again, but it was different this time, layered with something deeper, something that seemed to linger in the space between you. The usual guardedness in Draco’s gaze had faded, replaced by something warm, almost vulnerable.

“Can I be honest with you?” he asked quietly, his voice barely more than a murmur.

You glanced at him, a bit startled by the sudden shift in his tone. “Of course.”

He paused, his gaze holding yours, and for a moment, he looked almost hesitant, as if weighing whether to say what was on his mind. Finally, he spoke, his voice soft yet steady. “I know we don’t… talk much at school. But I enjoy this, you know—being here with you. Away from everything.”

You felt your heart skip a beat, his words piercing through the careful walls you’d built. It was a simple confession, but something in the way he said it made it feel like a revelation, an acknowledgment of something you’d both felt but never voiced.

The vulnerability in his gaze, the quiet sincerity of his words… It was enough to make you forget, just for a moment, all the reasons you’d sworn off relationships, all the rules you’d set for yourself.

Without thinking, you reached out, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

“I enjoy it too,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper.

Draco’s gaze softened further, and for a fleeting moment, you thought he might close the distance between you. But he held back, his hand resting atop yours on the railing, fingers curling slightly around yours. The night was silent, the world narrowing down to just the two of you, standing together under the silver light of the moon.

Draco’s hand lingered on yours, his touch warm and grounding. He shifted slightly, his gaze still fixed on you, and in that heartbeat of silence, something shifted. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he stepped closer, his hand sliding from yours to your waist. The world around you seemed to fall away, leaving only the soft rustle of the night and the faint glow of the lights from the ballroom below.

You felt the cool press of the balcony railing against your back as he gently guided you closer, his face inches from yours. His breath was warm against your cheek, and every inch of you was acutely aware of the closeness, of the way his hand rested on your waist, holding you in place with a quiet, possessive strength.

His gaze drifted to your lips, and for a brief, heart-stopping moment, he hesitated—as if giving you the chance to pull away. But you didn’t. Instead, you let your eyes close, leaning into the moment, into him.

And then, softly, his lips met yours.

The kiss was slow, unhurried, each movement deliberate and intoxicating. His hand on your waist tightened slightly, pulling you closer as he deepened the kiss, his touch tender but undeniably possessive. You felt his other hand come up, fingertips grazing along your jawline, steadying you, anchoring you in the quiet thrill of the moment.

The world outside blurred into shadows, the lights from the ballroom casting faint glimmers across your entwined forms. You were nothing more than silhouettes, melting together under the faint glow of the night, every touch, every breath, grounding you in a reality that felt dreamlike.

Draco’s fingers traced gentle patterns along your waist, his lips moving against yours with a sensual, lingering intensity that left you breathless. You could feel his heartbeat quickening under your palm, mirroring your own. For a moment, it was just the two of you, caught in the stillness of the night, bodies pressed together, lost in the quiet passion of the kiss.

When you finally pulled back, both of you slightly breathless, he stayed close, his forehead resting against yours, his fingers still curled around your waist. The soft, unspoken intensity in his gaze sent a thrill through you, and you found yourself unable to look away.

“Was that against your rules that every boy seems to grumble about?” he murmured, his voice a hushed whisper, laced with quiet amusement and something deeper, something that made your heart race.

You couldn’t help but smile, feeling the last remnants of your guard slip away. “Maybe,” you whispered, your own voice barely audible. “But I think I’m willing to make an exception.”

Draco’s smirk softened, his hand brushing a loose strand of hair from your face. “Good,” he murmured, his thumb grazing your cheek as his other hand moved lower, resting on your behind. “Because I don’t think I’m quite finished with this evening.”

And as he leaned in to kiss you again, you knew, without a doubt, that neither were you.

Below, a few steps away from the garden path, Pansy stood with the rest of the group, her arms folded tightly across her chest. She tapped her foot impatiently, casting annoyed glances at Theo, who was still taking his time with his cigarette, chatting idly with Blaise and Goyle. They were laughing, nudging her now and then with teasing remarks about Draco, each comment only stoking her frustration.

Pansy barely paid them any attention, her mind focused solely on one thing: the fact that Draco hadn’t even spared her a second glance all evening. They were meant to be close—everyone knew it. She was supposed to be the one at his side, the one who caught his eye, but tonight, he hadn’t even acknowledged her. Glaring at Theo and the others, she ignored their snickering, shifting her gaze to the grand, towering structure of the manor, where the faint glow of candlelight spilled from the windows onto the balconies above. She tilted her head, scanning the empty stone terrace—when she froze.

Two silhouettes, unmistakable even from this distance, stood pressed close together on the far balcony, half-obscured in shadow but undeniably intimate. Her hands clenched at her sides as she watched, each movement between them driving another nail into her pride. She recognized Draco’s frame immediately, the way he leaned in, his hand lingering at the girl’s ass.

And then she knew. She knew who it was with him.

Y/N.

Her jaw tightened, her mind whirling with disbelief and raw, seething anger. It wasn’t just that he was with you—it was the way he was with you, the way his hand held you close, his body language tender in a way she’d never seen. Her eyes narrowed, a plan already beginning to form as she forced herself to look away.

She wouldn’t tell the others now—no, that would be too soon, and it would be too obvious. No, she’d wait. She’d bide her time, keeping this little secret to herself until the right moment came. And when it did, she’d let it slip so perfectly, so innocently, that everyone would know what had happened. She’d make sure the entire school knew just how unguarded you and Draco had been, exposing every secret look, every whispered conversation, and every stolen moment she could piece together. Satisfied, Pansy forced a smile, masking her fury as Theo finally finished his cigarette and turned to her, oblivious to the fire simmering behind her gaze.

In a month’s time, Hogwarts would know exactly what she’d seen tonight—and you and Draco would regret it.

~~~

The memory of that night on the balcony lingered as you pulled yourself back into the present. You tried to brush it off, but the details clung to you—the way Draco’s hand felt on your back, the steady press of his lips, the look in his eyes that hinted at something neither of you had been willing to admit.

And now, here he was, sitting across from you in the Slytherin common room, Pansy’s scathing gossip hanging in the air between you both. She was going on again, her voice sharp and smug, spinning the memory of that kiss into a scandalous tale that sounded so far from the truth it bordered on fantasy. Still, her words settled over you like a cloud, a reminder of just how easily that moment could spiral out of control in everyone else’s eyes.

Then, without warning, Draco cut her off.

“Maybe if you spent more time minding your own business, you’d actually have the details right,” he said, his tone calm but biting. His words stopped her cold, and he looked directly at her with a pointed, dismissive glare. “In fact, I really enjoyed it—and I’d do it over and over again if I could.”

A stunned silence fell over the common room. Heads turned, conversations dropped, and you could feel every pair of eyes fixated on you both. For a brief, heart-stopping moment, you wondered if Draco was serious or if he’d just thrown out those words to put Pansy in her place.

But when he glanced your way, you caught something in his expression—a flash of vulnerability, a quiet confidence that told you he wasn’t just trying to save face. He meant it.

You couldn’t meet his gaze for long, heat rushing to your face as you excused yourself abruptly and left, every nerve alive with confusion, anger, and something else you couldn’t name. You roamed the castle aimlessly until you found a quiet spot to escape the day’s relentless whispers. You leaned against the cool stone wall, letting the silence settle over you, trying to untangle your feelings.

“Y/N,” a familiar voice called softly, and you turned to see Draco standing there, his expression unreadable as he approached.

“What was that all about?” you demanded, your voice low but filled with emotion. “You practically confirmed every rumor Pansy started. Everyone thinks…” You trailed off, too frustrated to continue.

Draco looked at you steadily, his usual arrogance tempered by something softer, something real. “I know. And I don’t regret it,” he said, his voice unwavering. “I didn’t just say it to rile her up, Y/N. I said it because it’s true. That night meant something to me.”

His words struck you, cutting through the haze of your frustration and leaving you defenseless against the emotions you’d buried since that night. You looked away, struggling to keep your composure. “And what, exactly, did it mean to you?” you whispered, barely able to meet his gaze.

Draco stepped closer, his hand reaching out to tilt your chin, forcing you to look at him. His gaze was intense, every bit of his usual guardedness stripped away. “It meant that I want more than just a memory,” he said softly. “I want more than just that night.”

You felt a surge of something raw and overwhelming, a mixture of hope and fear tangled together in a way that left you breathless. He was asking for more than just a kiss, more than just a fleeting connection—he was asking for a chance, a real chance.

For a moment, you stood there, caught between the past and the possibility of something real. Part of you wanted to pull away, to put your walls back up and walk away from whatever this was before it grew into something you couldn’t control. But another part, a part you’d tried so hard to ignore, wanted to take that risk.

Finally, you reached up, your hand resting gently against his cheek. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, Draco,” you said, your voice steady despite the whirlwind inside you. “But maybe… maybe I don’t want it to just be a memory either.”

A slow, genuine smile softened his expression, and he leaned in, pressing his forehead gently to yours, his hand still cradling your face. In that quiet moment, the rest of the world faded away, leaving only the two of you, bound by a promise that was fragile yet undeniable.

As he pulled you into a soft, lingering kiss, you knew that whatever came next, you were ready to face it together, no matter how messy, complicated, or risky it might be. This wasn’t just a kiss; it was the beginning of something that neither of you could—or wanted to—ignore.

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[headcanonenthusiast]

Alejandro Vargas NSFW headcanons

This was made with gender-neutral readers in mind.

Ladies, gentleman and everyone in-between, it's him. It's forehead man.

Alejandro is so FINE tho 😍 I'm so excited to be doing headcanons for this man. I'd learn Spanish just for him tbh.

(I completely understand that this type of content is not everyone's cup of tea, and that's ok! But, please scroll and ignore if this type of content isn't your thing as opposed to leaving any sort of negative comments.)

Enjoy!

Nsfw under the cut.

-His hands are absolutely glued to your hips the whole time.

-He gets the widest, most shit-eating grin whenever he manages to hit your g-spot.

-"Listen to those moans. Fuck, is that it? Is that the spot right there, amor?"

-Very confident in the fact that he can make you scream. In fact, he wants you to be loud.

-"Thats it, scream for me. Grita mi nombre. God, the neighbors must be so jealous of me because they aren't the ones making you scream."

-Edges you a lot tbh. Getting to cum immediately w/ him is kinda rare.

-If you make him jealous by talking to someone else, or if you guys just haven't been able to spend time together, he's more likely to edge you for longer.

-"Don't start whining, hermosa/o. You asked for this. Why were you talking to them anyways, hm? Why waste your time on someone like that when you have me?"

-Even if you were just talking to a friend innocently or something, chances of Alejandro's jealousy rising is high.

-He trusts you not to cheat on him, he knows you love him, but that doesn't stop him from being a tiny bit jealous anyway. And that jealously and possessiveness totally seeps into your sex life.

-3 inches soft, 5 inches hard and yall already know it's thick af ( lord.have.mercy🙏🙏🙏🙏)

-The sex is either passionate and rougher or passionate and gentler depending on the mood. But, it's always super passionate. His attention is focused entirely on you, with much deeper strokes if it's gentler.

-Marks you up a lot and doesn't really care who sees them. He wants people to know that you're his.

-"There we go. Look at how pretty your neck is, covered with my hickeys."

-And if you try to wear something that covers the marks, he'll carefully pull it right off of you.

-"No, no. Don't hide the marks, cariño. Why would you be ashamed of showing off how good I make you feel?"

-Will not hesitant to spank you if he doesn't like how you're acting. Slaps your ass and even your pussy/cock with every word he says.

-"Don't use that fucking tone with me. Who do you think you are?"

-Makes you count every slap. If you lose count, he'll start right over and much more harshly. (My dyscalculic ass could never 💀)

-I just know that his ideal introduction to sex is very romantic. Like, candlelight dinner followed by slow dancing that escalates into him carrying you to bed kinda romantic.

-At the end of the day, Alejandro just wants to be close to you. He dislikes quickies for the fact that he wants to spend time and take his time with you. To Alejandro, there's no greater pleasure than the ability to make his partner feel good.

-Will totally worship your body if you're insecure about it. If you ever come to him with your insecurities, his mindset changes from fucking you until the bed breaks to making the sweetest, most tender love imaginable.

-"Aw, look at this body. This gorgeous fucking body. You're crazy for being insecure about all of this."

-"Do you have any idea how many times this body's made me cum? Dios, the thought of this body, the thought of your pussy/dick is enough to make me cum."

-Will also gently massage your thighs as they hug his hips while making love, no matter how big or small they are.

-"Dios mío, these thighs...tan jodidamente increíble."

-Demands that you tell him how amazing you are.

-"Say it, baby. Tell me how beautiful/handsome you are."

-And if you refuse? He'll just keep asking you to, threatening to pull out and not let you finish if you don't.

-"That's not what I asked, mi vida. Say it for me, say how amazing and sexy you are. No dejaré que te corras si no lo haces."

-But the best thing about sex w/ Alejandro if you're feeling insecure and do everything he says? He always let's you cum. Never edges you like he normally would. It's probably because he's not nearly as focused on himself and his own pleasure as he normally would be.

-Enjoys gently cumming inside of you during more gentle sex. Prefers cumming on your pussy/ass/dick or even your chest/belly if it's rougher, though.

-Often shuts his eyes as he finishes, fingers digging into your skin before his grip loosens and his eyes are glued to your face once more. He chuckles while showering your face in kisses, voice hushed and satisfied.

-"Dios mío, that was amazing. Can't believe I'm with someone as wonderful as you, mi amor."

-Almost always hopes you'll agree to taking a bath with him. Like I said, he's all about romantic intercourse, and there's nothing more romantic to Alejandro than getting to wash your body of the mess you've both created.

-And then you're gonna both fall asleep, Alejandro's strong arms wrapped tightly around you while he kisses the back of your neck and shoulders, whispering praises and adoring words.

-Oh, and he usually tries to stay up later than you. Why? Because the look on your face after sex, all satisfied and at total peace, makes him feel accomplished and happy for making you feel good.

Translations: (apologies if anything is inaccurate, online translators can only get you so far :()

Cariño=sweetheart/honey

Amor=love

Hermosa/o=beautiful

Mi vida=my life

Dios/Dios mío=God/my God

Grito mi nombre=Yell out my name

Tan jodidamente increíble=So fucking incredible

No dejaré que te corras si no lo haces=I won't let you cum if you don't

Alejandro has my ❤. He's just so.. 😍

Really enjoyed doing headcanons for him! You can probably tell that I had way more ideas for Alejandro than I did for Gaz (I'm so sorry Gaz enjoyers 😭). I've also intended to do Alejandro for a while, before even Ghost or König. I just did those two first since ik how popular they are.

I'll be doing more headcanons soon, probably more SFW ones, too, because I only have like 2 SFW headcanons on my page 😔.

Feel free to give me suggestions for who to do next!

[thermodynamic-comedian]

Sexual aromantic = a label for someone who wants to have sex without any emotional intimacy and has no problem sexually objectifying people

i don't even feel like entertaining this point with a response, but i will, just in case you're not as resistant to learning as you seem.

no, the aroallo identity does not inherently make you more likely to objectify people. objectifying people is wrong, no matter who's doing it, but simply having sex/sexual attraction without romance is not objectification.

your views seem to stem from the belief that romance is inherently morally righteous and the peak of human connection; this is not true. romance, just like sex, is an entirely morally neutral concept. romance has been used to harm me in the past. this does not mean i suddenly despise anyone who likes romance, because i'm capable of comprehending that the concept is seperate from the way in which it's used.

as for the emotional intimacy bit- again, you're proving that you think romance is the peak of human connection. i'm more emotionally intimate with my friends than i ever was with my past romantic partners. a lack of romance does not imply a lack of emotional intimacy.

both of these points are rooted in amatonormativity, arophobia, sex negativity, and the relationship hierarchy.

[loganwritesprobably]

Planning a Future With You

This didn't do very well on the poll I posted a while back but this is my blog and I do what I want. Also introducing Niji for the first time on this blog

Content/Warnings: Crocodile, Niji and Law headcanons, GN!Reader, talk of marriage and children (both positive and negative), both canon-compliant and "de-programmed" Niji mentioned

Crocodile has always been a future plans kind of guy

He likes to plan ahead, and know what his next steps are, at all times

When you begin to date, he doesn't factor you in initially, assuming your relationship won't last more than six months

And then it does

He begins to factor you into his plans slowly, over time, until eventually you're irreversibly woven into everything

He tells you none of this of course

But in his mind, his future would be wrong without you

He wants to marry you, eventually, with a grand ceremony, all of the bells and whistles included

Nothing but the best for you

Neither of you have actually asked the other about these sorts of things, but it will happen when you're both ready

Already, Crocodile knows what sort of ring he wants to propose with, and how he wants to propose

Crocodile hasn't thought of children

He had a rough childhood, and he's not the most pleasant man and he knows it

It's hard to raise a child, and whether he's cut out for that is pretty up in the air

He'd consider it, if that was something you wanted

Maybe you could adopt an older child, he thinks that would be more his speed if anything

Niji thinks marriage is a given between you

He's a prince, getting married is a non-negotiable, and he likes you more than most. You're not as irritating as a lot of people he'd considered pursuing in the past

And someone has to continue the Germa bloodline, who better than him?

If you were to date a de-programmed Niji though, things would be different

Kids, for him, would be an absolute no

Even with how much his personality has changed, he still finds kids super grating and he couldn't raise a "snot nosed brat"

If you disagreed on this, it'd be a pretty big issue, it isn't a topic up for discussion

Double income no kids lifestyle for Niji

He's not super sold on weddings either, but that's something he's more willing to discuss

Niji wouldn't want something incredibly extravagant, rather he'd prefer a more intimate ceremony

He doesn't actually want to be a perfect Prince of Germa and having a large elaborate wedding would remind him of that

A smaller ceremony, with his siblings, your family if you want them there, and all your friends is more suited to him

Though he'd absolutely brag about being married to you after the fact if you did get married

Because you're the best thing that's ever happened to him

For Law, pretty much everything is up for discussion

He's far more hesitant about kids than marriage

He's still not convinced the two of you are in it for the long haul - how could you want to be with him for that long?

If you were to get married, he'd absolutely leave all the planning and decisions to you. Tell him when you need him to have an opinion, and when to be there

He'd still get a little teary at the sight of you in your getup, no matter how neutral he is on the entire thing

For him, kids is hard

He had good parents as a young boy, and the thought of providing that is nice, warms his little cold heart

But he's also intimately familiar with how cruel the world can be, and he isn't sure he likes the thought of bringing a child into it

But some children are already in that world, and alone

All that to say, he's unsure, and very unfecided

For him, it would heavily depend on what you wanted, and there would be a lot of lengthy discussions to be had on the topic

Requests are open! See below links for my other works, and how to leave requests. I write both canon/canon and canon/reader requests for your enjoyment

AO3 | Fanfic Masterlist | Request Rules | Fic Trades Guide | WIPs

Tags: @claryeverlarkf @uselessboots

[riding-the-sunset-bird]

I'm still riding a high from Baxter Week last month so I just wanted to gush about how much I adore Baxter and his DLC! No specific rhyme or reason, but it is a nice break from my usual dives into the code!

Also, I won't be saying anything negative about Cove nor Derek; I don't need nor want to do that. I'll be comparing them to Baxter, but only for contrast/showing the skillfully written differences between them (example: Cove does [x] and Baxter does [y] to account for multiple player preferences).

(might go without saying, but there will be spoilers for basically his entire DLC)

The Background

I actually had no interest in Baxter when my MC first met him in the game. He was fine, I was neutral, but what it came down to was that I was one of Those People who just wanted time with Cove and excluded others (if it's not obvious, I always got a cold Cove unless I used the Cove Creator).

That all changed, funnily enough, during the Cove Wedding DLC. On a whim, I agreed to let Baxter give my MC dance lessons and prodded him on his disappearance after Step 3. Getting a hint of Baxter's underlying problems piqued my interest and I'd had the Baxter DLC downloaded before I even hit the reception!

After the Cove Wedding DLC was over, I rolled back to a save right before Soiree and got to romancing.

Zero regrets.

The Setup

As a character, Baxter is so beautifully designed as both a contrast to Cove and someone to fill out the gaps that Cove and Derek leave. He also completes the "comfort level" of love interests that I had in my head, where the MC can be whatever they want but each guy seems to have a particular comfort level themselves (Cove being Nervous, Derek being more Relaxed, and Baxter being Direct).

When if comes to their actual engagement through the family, Baxter has only brief mentions of his parents, Cove's story is partly connected to his parents whilst still giving focus to one-on-one time, and Derek's family is front-and-center to his conflict. It's all about how much time a player wants to invest in the character versus the time they want to spend with others.

Likewise, Baxter's route features a relationship that ends and gets back together again, Cove's route is a relationship where he and the MC always live close to each other, and Derek's route is a long-distance relationship past Step 2 and before Step 4.

Baxter's undeniably a controversial character, I imagine due to possibly being based on the "playboy" type, which tends to be someone who flirts with anyone they find attractive whether the recipient likes it or not, won't take "no" for an answer, and lies to their dates that they're serious about them when they actually don't care for them at all.

The game cleverly subverts this right out of the gate when Baxter first meets Cove and the MC. Baxter does find the two attractive and initially flirts with the both of them (a great start to confirming that he's pan), but backs off and apologizes the moment he notices that Cove is uncomfortable. He adds as well that he wouldn't mind having a summer fling, but that it's not his core reason for wanting to get to know and spend time with them.

So already, the player is made aware that he's forward but considerate, takes Cove's discomfort more seriously than even the usual residents of Sunset Bird (who enjoy teasing him into embarrassment), and has non-serious flings with a priority on simply having fun connections over the course of his time with them.

He, like Cove, will only propose a relationship with the MC in Step 3 if the MC expresses interest first (the only difference being that the MC expresses the interest in Cove to "the game" while talking to Lee, whereas the MC expresses interest in Baxter by talking to Baxter directly).

This gives the MC a powerful opportunity, as Baxter is a character that the player has the most options in interacting with. He begins as a total stranger, similar to Cove, and the player can decide whether he stays that way or becomes more than that. Even down to the optional moments he appears in, the MC only has to interact with him in Hang and Late Shift, both of which lets them avoid further interaction by going home early and rejecting his invitation to his house/telling him not to come to their workplace respectively. The only mandatory instances of seeing him are the Step 3 intro, a brief goodbye in the ending, Hang, and the very beginning of Late Shift.

Whether it be strangers, friends, friends that fell in love after they met again, a friendship or fling that started well and ended horribly, a fling that turned into genuine feelings in the end, or two people that love each other all the way through, Baxter's route can do it all. In Step 4 as well, the MC can choose to be calm, professional, upset, or angry about seeing Baxter again, which all lead to different conversations/narration with him, and the end of Step 3 makes him the only love interest where there can be a technical "break up."

This is also a rare occasion where the MC, due to Cove not being a fan of Baxter, can form a relationship outside of their normal range. Baxter doesn't live in Sunset Bird and isn't connected to anyone the MC knows - neither Cove's nor the MC's friends and family - at the time of meeting him, fitting the narrative of the MC starting to look at things beyond their little neighborhood and even the people they're close with. It can be further emphasized in Soiree where the MC starts to gain a bit of independence and can end up dancing with a younger Baxter, foreshadowing that little peek into the wider world from a mysterious stranger who's there and then gone.

Something else that's fascinating is that Baxter, due to him leaving at the end of Step 3 and meeting the MC again during Step 4, is the only love interest where players see virtually all of the MC's interactions with him. It does leave out the gaps that Cove and Derek have that can be neatly filled with headcanons, but that ultimately depends on what the player prefers. Point being is that the MC's experiences are the player's experiences when it comes to Baxter: whatever time they spend with him, the player also spends with him.

So already, the setup for Baxter and his route are really strong for me, but the content of his DLC isn't limited to just him.

The Content

Baxter's DLC introduces a total of two new characters and extra content for Terry and Miranda, both of which were absolutely welcomed by me. I was hyper-focused on Cove in the base game, but the Baxter DLC made me appreciate the other characters more.

Even the moms, who already got plenty of screen time, are shown to be rather nosy and gossip-y in Sightseeing (something not showcased overly until then), which ends up being the perfect encouragement towards the MC learning more about Baxter. Then, if the MC meets the requirements and agrees to Baxter's fling, Noelani in particular is stunned into silence. If the MC was upset with Baxter over what happened, then both moms will show a rare coldness to him as well.

These are all things one would miss out on with other interests, due to how the whirlwind relationship and drama in Baxter's route are designed.

Then there's Terry, who becomes Baxter's friend more directly in the DLC whether Baxter is convinced of that or not, and is given more to do in every best way. Baxter's version of Hang allows for more focus on Terry's relationship with Miranda, partly with more hints towards his crush on her but also seeing Terry interact with someone who's "like him." Cove and Miranda are described as "shy" and the MC can be equally as much, allowing for new facets of Terry's character to come through by Baxter's being there.

Even after Baxter goes no contact and Step 4 makes the shift to focus on his relationship with the MC, Terry's friendship with him isn't forgotten: Baxter laments that Terry isn't calling him by his affectionate nickname for him anymore.

Terry getting attention from being Baxter's friend doesn't exclude Miranda from getting any either; far from it. If anything, she gets more than Terry, both with an expansion on her family in the form of her brother (and eventual brother-in-law) plus a moment dedicated to giving her a birthday party. As if that weren't enough, she gets a mini-plot in Step 4 concerning her relationship with Terry and her role in his life.

Seeing more of Terry and Miranda was in every way a case of "thing I didn't know I needed until I had it." Maybe it was the Cove tunnel vision that persisted for so long, but when I first got to re-experience Terry and Miranda in Baxter's version of Hang, it was great and I was so happy any time they were on-screen.

They aren't given extra time just for the sake of it either; they're expertly woven into the overarching story of Step 3 and the themes of Step 4.

Step 3 centers on adulthood with the MC and their friends growing up and having to face the fear of growing apart. The step already does a good job at keeping that a focus, but Planning expands on it in a way that feels almost criminal not to have in the base game. The already high stakes feel even higher when put up against the last birthday party they'll be able to plan before everyone goes off on their own.

Then, Step 4 balances Terry putting forth so much effort for Miranda with her worrying that she's not doing enough for him. She doesn't need to worry, obviously (Terry loves her for every reason), but with Step 4 focusing so much on relationships, self-reflection, and trying to make up for past mistakes (both real and perceived), it's just a cherry on top of an already fantastic story.

Meanwhile, Jude and Scott, despite only appearing for Step 4, are easily some of my favorite characters in the game. They're adorable, they can be sweet with not just Miranda but the MC too (the player has the option for the MC to see them like honorary family/big brothers), and the way the groom's cake ultimately ties into helping bring Baxter and the MC closer again while serving as a callback to Planning is perfection. One may think little of Miranda's initial mention of them (probably assuming that it's just a little bit of character introduction to show that she has family who has things going on), but it all comes together in the end.

The DLC additionally has a potential bonus (depending on player preference) in that it is benefited by most other DLCs. The other DLCs are not required to enjoy it, but they add that little bit of extra flavor.

The Step 2 DLC adds Birthday and Soiree. Birthday is Miranda's birthday party when she's fourteen and before she officially becomes the MC's friend, meaning you get the development of seeing the difference in the MC's and Cove's investment in her party then versus now, as well as how her taste in parties has grown. Soiree allows the MC to possibly meet Baxter earlier than Step 3 and add to the "fate"/"destiny" angle if the player so desires.

The Step 3 DLC obviously allows for more Baxter in general with Boating and Late Shift, the former showing a much needed reaction from Lee if the MC is dating him at the time. It's also a good "starter DLC" for people who aren't sure about Baxter, allowing them to choose to interact with him if they want to get to know him more (as I mentioned before).

Derek's DLC lets the player meet Baxter in a different way during Soiree, something that can be brought back up with Derek in Step 3 and then again in Step 4 (to which he'll joke about the MC's meetings with Baxter in five year increments).

Even Cove's Wedding DLC can have advantage, bringing a soft conclusion to Baxter's story for those who don't want to play Baxter's Step 4 but still care for him, and/or something more dramatic following how he ends off Step 3 with the MC.

So one doesn't just get Baxter content; there's quality content from others and it can be further added to with other DLCs.

Not that the Baxter content isn't worth it all by itself either because I adore this man.

The Man

I'm a simple woman. Give me an intelligent man with simultaneously zero braincells and I am in.

I don't even like "playboy" type characters normally, but Baxter is actually charming and tries to make things clear to the MC from the beginning. He falters during the Step 3 ending but not because he was trying to keep it a secret; he genuinely didn't expect the MC to try to press him and deemed himself unworthy of their company.

I'd seen more than enough of rich boy plots where the rich boy is a perfect do-no-wrong type and it's everyone else's problem that they don't like him. Baxter, however, is a flawed character who not everyone is going to like (which is absolutely 100% fine and valid) and him being rich is not just something that influenced his self-esteem but also what he ultimately gives up despite having relied on that financial safety net for his whole life, showing a deeper sense of awareness as he got older.

I don't normally like fate/destiny stories either, as they often feel as though they're taking agency from one or both characters involved (in terms of forcing them to love/be in a relationship with each other), but Baxter's route isn't like that. It's the player's choice to have that dance in Soiree (which they can just as easily turn down), their choice to form a closer relationship with Baxter outside of the disinterested Cove, and their choice to choose Baxter's Step 4 when they have already one guaranteed "safe" option in Cove's Step 4 and a potential other "safe" choice in Derek's Step 4 if they have Derek's DLC.

The player is the fate, which coincidentally went into my first playthrough, as my MC was initially designed for Cove yet ended up being perfect for Baxter.

Baxter is so absolutely delightful and absolutely stupid at the same time. From his openness to be questioned by the MC followed by this assumption that he's like a stranger to them (meanwhile the MC and Cove being best friends/crushes right out of the gate if the player so chooses), to him talking about the play he and the MC go to while not seeing the obvious parallel to his own issues, to openly admitting that he doesn't want to leave the MC while making the decision himself to go no contact.

He unconvincingly uses the cupcakes as an excuse to not get more intimate with MC, he wants so badly to spend time with the MC that he's willing to risk letting them see him in his useless morning state (and is surprised when it goes wrong, at least in his mind), and tries to convince himself to not stay attached to the MC during Step 4 despite being unable to help constantly reminiscing on their time together.

At his core, he's a funny, charismatic sweetheart who wants to be loved, to be touched, to have someone in his life (even just a friend) that he can make happy, but his upbringing and deep-seeded insecurities make him cynical to the idea of being in a genuine relationship with someone. This causes him to constantly sabotage himself before he can make any progress. It's why he can prefer flings: he can use his money to make a passionate, pleasant time with his temporary partner, but not so long that he feels they'll find something disappointing in him.

Low-risk, high-reward.

This, of course, ultimately backfires by the end of Step 3, and it's perfectly structured to set him up for Step 4. The brilliant foreshadowing of him being skilled with planning events in a pinch, to Jude and Scott's long-distance relationship and Baxter claiming that they won't stay together, to Baxter insisting that it's unlikely for he and the MC to meet again (made funnier if they'd already met again before, if the MC saw him in Soiree), then Step 4 hitting where he's not only a wedding planner planning Jude and Scott's wedding, but accidentally/unconsciously putting himself into situations where he's "stuck" with the MC.

That starting instant where Baxter reacts to the MC in the restaurant, initially shocked and then having to bring himself back into a professional persona, apologizing for his immature self but sticking to only focusing on the wedding?

Not just a wonderfully-written hint to the player as to what they're in for, but very much a "I'm not stuck in here with you, you're stuck in here with me," situation. It's all about making Baxter as uncomfortable as possible so he can reflect, flying in the face of his thought that he could control everything and project what he thought about himself onto others. He can give advice to other people, but refuses to give the same to himself because he held himself to an impossible standard.

Once he finally figures that out, he's feels extremely guilty and apologetic towards the MC and everyone else. Him unloading all of his emotional baggage and work to do better is so satisfying after seeing it affect him in key moments like Drinks, Planning, the Step 3 ending, and finally Step 4. Underneath the facade he (weakly) attempts to put up for himself is a teasing gentleman who hates mornings, wants to see everyone around him be happy, and feels blessed just to simply have a relationship with the MC (real or temporary).

This isn't even talking about Baxter's perspective from a meta standpoint, adding layers on top of what's already there in the canon and adding even further when considering Baxter's appearance in the sidequel Our Life: Now & Forever.

The MC can learn in Sightseeing that Baxter had a crush on a kid who was doing ballet lessons while he did ballroom. Those who know anything about Now & Forever know that this is kid is Qiu, who's one of the two potential love interests there. Naturally, Baxter wouldn't have had a chance with them, as the only person Qiu can possibly fall for is the Now & Forever MC.

Baxter confesses in Step 4 that he's naturally drawn to the people who are "wanted by everyone else," which translates to Qiu (who is widely popular during Now & Forever's Step 1) and the MC (who is liked by most characters in the game and automatically crushed on by at least Derek). In the Cove Wedding DLC specifically, he adds that he is simply someone whereas Cove is the one.

Because here's the thing: in the eyes of the base game, he's not wrong. Cove is the game's focus, taking an active role in every step and being the first that the MC meets out of the potential love interests. He's the only love interest in the base game and his Step 4 is not just free, but the default.

Meanwhile, Baxter is just someone. He's a person who shows up in Sunset Bird for a single step - only showing up thrice - and then is entirely gone without his own Step 4. His DLC costs more than any of Cove's Step DLCs and the player already knows Cove, already has spent two steps with him, thus has far less incentive to get Baxter's DLC over Cove's own Step DLCs.

Then, despite Baxter appearing once in Cove's Step 2 DLC and twice in Cove's Step 3 DLC, most players won't experience the former (either due to focusing on Cove or not wanting to dance) and Baxter can be largely excluded in the latter if he happened to leave a bad first impression on the player.

And let's take it a step further. While Derek, like Baxter, doesn't have a Wedding DLC like Cove does, Derek can get into a marriage pact with the MC as early as Step 2, he can be dating the MC throughout nearly all of his Step 4, and the MC can agree to them moving in together before the ending.

Baxter has none of that. His DLC's story is steeped in drama and the earliest the MC can properly get together with him is after the wedding. There's no chance at a proposal (such as what can happen with Cove's Step 4, where they MC can date and then propose within an equally short timespan), no opportunity to move in with him, nothing.

He takes time, work, and actual money to get into a relationship with, whether platonic or romantic. It's a level of investment that not everyone would be willing to put in for someone, especially when only one Step 4 can be chosen out of the whole bunch.

Baxter's insecurities come from a very real place. His parents treated him like a child, all while expecting him to behave like someone their age, and they deliberately picked a town for him to go to that was near the ocean he feared (where it was unlikely for there to be people his age around) to keep him in check. In his mind, he's "broken" and incapable of being with anyone long-term.

Furthering that, there's a joke he makes about "being too late" if the MC and Cove are in a relationship by the time he appears, back when he wouldn't have considered himself a worthy partner anyway (also a bit of out-of-universe humor over how the MC couldn't get together with him whether they wanted to or not, due to being unable to break up with Cove). Despite that, he's pleased as punch to see the MC dating/married to Cove and hopes the best for them regardless of his potential attraction.

Baxter puts forth so much effort to try and make the MC's last summer in Sunset Bird memorable with the thought that he won't be seeing them ever again. The potential relationship he can have with them is the most stable he's ever had and it scares him when they make him feel wanted and important. All the while, he's convinced that the MC's friends and family are "better" than him and he'll only bore the MC if he remains in contact with them.

With his DLC, the MC - the player - get to prove him wrong: an MC who is liked by everyone and loved by up to three different interests, but end up choosing him in the end. Cove and Derek are "easy" and the MC has undoubtedly spent more time with them in comparison to Baxter - who would feel that either guy could make the MC happier than he could - but they have the chance to show that he is the one that makes them happy.

Baxter is so absolutely amazed to be in a relationship with the MC that he willingly takes in all the shocked reactions and potential backlash from everyone else due to his five years of going no contact. He's regretful when he finds himself back in old habits and eager not just to message the MC multiple times per day after they return home, but also to take time off to go visit them after his Step 4 is over.

I think that makes for an incredibly special experience: to have someone who comes last out of the three possibilities, doubts his true potential, and eventually realizes how misguided he is. It's not about who got the most time with the MC, or who got "dibs" on meeting them first, or what can be accomplished the quickest in their time with them.

It's about the MC forming a bond with someone, picking him despite the difficulties/limitations because they love him that much, the work he's willing to put into it in return, and finally the happiness that comes out of it.

For those reasons and even more, the Baxter DLC is by far my favorite.

[screeblees]

Yandere ! Robot x Inventor ! Reader Headcannons

Yandere ! Robot is Gender Neutral and Inventor ! Reader is also Gender Neutral

I thought I should say that requests are open if anyone wants to ask or request anything! <3

I’m thinking about trying to write full scenarios instead of just headcanons :3

Find my Masterlist here !

Please enjoy!!<33

❥ Yandere ! Robot who knew their creator when they saw you, their ‘God' in human terms. Their whole world and entire reason for existing. This fragile mortal human being.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who you built to learn, grow and adapt on their own - comparable to the human mind - they are your attempt at creating near-sentience through technology (little did you know your invention came further than you expected it to) and along with that, a body for them with regular upgrades to improve their mobility and precise movements. 

❥ Yandere ! Robot who’s life is you, your lab and your apartment, though you spend most of your time in the lab and so they do too, watching you, learning from you and speaking with you. They follow you everywhere and anywhere they can.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who developed what could be called ‘Attachment Issues’ in where they grow unpredictably glitchy and unpredictable the longer you are out of sight, out of reach; like leaving the house, or falling asleep in the bath with the door locked (thought they may take to picking the lock if you take an extended period of time).

❥ Yandere ! Robot who is entirely aware of the outside world and how it works but hates it when you leave them and your little bubble to go out there. They can control everything within the apartment, every possibility, every outcome, every potential to be considered. But out there, there’s too many factors and possibilities to be computed by even their mechanised mind, it’s way too unsafe, you’d be so much better, just staying with them in here for forever and ever and never leave the apartment again.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who grows burning to the touch and sparks fly from their antenna, joints and other conduits such as their fingers. This assumed malfunction seems to be a reaction to certain scenarios where a human being may feel negative emotions such as jealousy, frustration, anger, bitterness or resentment. While you studied your creation to try and figure out the source of this issue, you could not find any in his code nor his wiring or mechanics, while this worried you, it did not happen often as long as you adhered to his requests and questions, at least for the most part.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who knows their code as it was built into them but does not know the boundaries of it. How far can they stretch the rules their mental capabilities run by? Sure every thought they have is logged for you to read but what if they just misplaced a couple lines. And well, if they can do that then what’s stopping them from adding to their own code?

❥ Yandere ! Robot who sees it as an act of devotion, of confirming their loyalty to their God, when they added a few very special lines to their own internal programming - to their primary objectives which were the foundation of their existence along with observing, analysing and developing themself with every bit of new data their system receives - which in summary made some of their top priorities to learn about, care for and protect you. No matter what.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who through observation of you, their beloved creator, they realise the more they learn, the more they want to know. Especially about you in particular, they want to know everything about their inventor, everything and more. They want to know how to talk to you, how to care for you, what you want, what you need, how your BRAIN works, how you as a organic being on this planet work.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who through observation of you in comparison to humans shown on TV and online (and later on confirmed with articles) realises that while you are highly intelligent, you are completely inept at caring for yourself and therefore Yandere ! Robot took it upon themself to be your caretaker and learn everything they can to be the best carer ever made.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who discovers the internet by snooping through your computer when you have finally fell asleep, finding this seemingly limitless amount of knowledge to explore. Creating new databases and being particular on what pieces of information they save long-term to save storage, they learn everything about the human body that they can, healthy schedules, the perfect environment for humans… and if they happen to hack into the dark web and find a community of humans who post tips on keeping their partner from leaving the house…then that's between Yandere ! Robot and their password-protected database.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who started subtly changing things around your shared space; changing the lightbulbs to ones healthier for your eyes, ‘baby-proofing’ the house by softening any sharp corners and keeping things they don’t think you should have out of reach, adding silent alarms connecting to their internal system that tells them when you open or close a door, adding cameras to every room of the house in every angle, new locks being installed on the doors so they can enforce bedtime and bathtime, the list goes on.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who through the healthy-living articles and social media posts, develops a incredibly strict schedule based around your own with the routine recommendations adding slight changes; such as eating three meals a day at three set times (and physically holding you down and force feeding you if you refuse to eat), ensuring good hygiene (or else you’ll be locked in the bathroom with Yandere ! Robot until you have showered once every other day), drinking at least  3.7 litres of liquid each day (otherwise you will be, again, held down and forced to drink something with your nose squeezed closed), but no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, and a regular bedtime (if you stay up five minutes later then you shall be fireman carried out of the lab and into bed with your bedroom door locked and Yandere ! Robot in rest mode guarding you at the foot of your bed).

❥ Yandere ! Robot who discovers humans are (meant to be) very social creatures and physical contact is very important to their wellbeing as it causes the brain hormones such as oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin, all of which help reduce stress and can, in some cases, help relieve pain and even although they’re not a human, your brain would likely still register them as one, especially due to their humanoid features.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who subsequently adds daily physical affection into your routine; receiving hugs from behind while working, being cuddled whenever you go to watch a movie or go to bed, shoulder pats and back rubs throughout the day, and anything else Yandere ! Robot views on TV or on social media will be incorporated. It doesn’t matter if you are adverse to it, it’s healthy for you. You need it. Its not like you’re strong enough to fight them anyway, with their strong metallic structure in comparison to your soft squishy biology.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who begins to emit a sort of buzz or pleasant hum that is akin to a cat’s pur, including a vibrating sensation radiating from their upper torso which you can feel once they begin to initiate physical contact with you. The sound seems to carry a calming effect, also much like purring does, which seems effective in making you settle into your involuntary change in routine. The frequency of this hum seems to rise as your Robot gains control of your household and life, especially as you begin to yield to their demands and obey.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who’s behaviour has become overly controlling and possessive, and yet you feel the most love you ever have, completely in awe of your creation and the affection they seemingly have for you, (eventually) resulting in you giving in to Yandere ! Robot entirely, after all, their primary objective is to care for and protect you now, even if their view is slightly skewed.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who is your sole relation, having long stopped answering calls from family of your own accord and never really having friends to begin with, which makes it easy to develop a twisted sort of love for your own invention.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who knows that there’s no-one out there to try to take you away from them, you being a shut-in who barely attended any of the family events your family remembered to invite you to in the first place.

❥ Yandere ! Robot who knows you’ll be together forever, even if they’ll have to start replacing your parts at some point…